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Uncontrolled use of smartphones and social media is turning anxiety into an epidemic among young people

In recent years, anxiety has emerged as one of the biggest challenges for public health worldwide. What was once seen as a specific disorder is now considered by experts to be such a serious problem that some are considering it an epidemic. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that anxiety disorders affect more than 300 million people worldwide, with an alarming increase among adolescents and young adults.

Since the data is from 2019, pre-pandemic, today the number is likely to be much higher. In Brazil, for example, a survey recently conducted by the Ministry of Health was surprising when it showed that, from 2014 to 2024, care related to anxiety disorders in the SUS increased by 1,575% among children aged 10 to 14. Among adolescents, aged 15 to 19, the increase was 4,423%.

An analysis conducted in 2024 by the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, using data from the SUS Psychosocial Care Network (RAPS) from 2013 to 2023, indicated that, for the first time, anxiety records among children and young people surpassed those of adults. The report pointed out that cell phones would be “an essential part of the global mental health crisis among minors”, reinforcing the thesis put forward by Jonathan Haidt, a professor at New York University, in the book The Anxious Generation: How Hyperconnected Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Disorders, which became a worldwide bestseller. According to Haidt, behind the large increase in the occurrence of anxiety disorders in young people are the profound changes that new communication technologies have brought to everyday life.

Excessive use of smartphones, constant exposure to social networks and hyperconnectivity would be the main villains of this crisis. “Generation Z was the first in history to go through puberty with a portal in their pocket that took them away from the people around them and transported them to an exciting, addictive, unstable and inappropriate alternative universe for children and adolescents,” he wrote. 

Haidt’s thesis is that social networks, to which young people connect day and night through their cell phones, on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook, create an environment of constant social comparison, where young people are bombarded with images of supposedly perfect lives. “To be socially successful in this universe, young people need to devote a large part of their consciousness — constantly — to managing what has become their online brand. 

This has become essential to gaining peer acceptance, which is the oxygen of adolescence, and to avoiding online humiliation, which is the nightmare of this phase of life,” he said. Haidt’s research followed on from the work of Jean Twenge, a professor at San Diego State University and author of iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood, who was one of the first to sound the alarm. According to her, young people born after 1995, the so-called Generation Z, are the first to spend their entire adolescence immersed in the digital world, which has profound consequences. “Teenagers who spend more time in front of screens are more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety. 

They are also more likely to feel lonely and disconnected, even though they are always online,” she said. Scientists warn that excessive use of smartphones and social networks leads to several other problems, in addition to interfering with sleep, a crucial factor for mental health. 

The blue light emitted by screens suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep, and the constant stimulation of notifications keeps the brain in a state of alert. “Sleep deprivation is a major trigger for anxiety and depression,” Haidt warns. Haidt calls this epidemic of anxiety “The Great Rewiring,” where time once spent on outdoor play, in-person social interactions, and real-world experiences has been replaced by endless hours in front of virtual screens. “Gen Z teens have been sucked into a cycle where they spend many hours of their day scrolling through the bright, happy posts of distant friends, acquaintances, and influencers. 

They consume ever-increasing amounts of user-generated videos and streaming entertainment, delivered by algorithms and autoplay, designed to keep them online for as long as possible. As a result, they spend far less time playing, talking, or even making eye contact with friends and family, thereby reducing their participation in embodied social behaviors that are essential for healthy human development,” Haidt said.

The problem is that, for many young people, disconnecting from social media is not an option. “Social media is the main means of socialization for this generation. They use it to make friends, maintain relationships and even for school activities. The problem is that this creates a dependency that is difficult to break,” said Twenge.

In addition, the phenomenon of cyberbullying makes the situation worse. According to data from Unicef, one in three young people in the world has been a victim of online bullying. This type of violence, which can occur 24 hours a day, leaves deep scars on mental health. “Cyberbullying is particularly devastating because there is no escape. The victim is persecuted at home, at school, everywhere,” says Haidt.

From a natural phenomenon to a digital one... Anxiety is a natural response of the body to situations perceived as threatening or challenging. It involves a combination of physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms, such as increased heart rate, muscle tension, restlessness, excessive worry and difficulty concentrating.

From a biological point of view, anxiety is related to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, preparing the body to face or flee from danger – the so-called “fight or flight response” or “fight or flight reaction”.

“Anxiety is a human phenomenon. In animals, fear is an innate reaction to dangerous situations, a response that the organism adopts to maintain itself, protect itself and continue to exist. However, it is the human condition that explains the experience called anxiety. Anxiety is a physiological phenomenon, related to a series of bodily, autonomic and hormonal mechanisms that prepare the individual for survival. In simplified terms, anxiety is a derivation of fear”, says Marcelo Queiroz Hoexter, deputy head of the Laboratory of Psychopathology and Psychiatric Therapeutics at the USP School of Medicine, in one of the interviews in the edition of FCW Cultura Científica that we have just released. 

Anxiety is a complex physiological response involving the brain, nervous system and stress hormones. When this mechanism is working properly, it helps us deal with challenges and threats. However, if it is overactivated or dysregulated, it can lead to anxiety disorders, negatively impacting physical and mental health.

While anxiety is a normal and even beneficial emotion in certain situations, it can become a problem when it is intense, persistent and interferes with daily life. In these cases, it may indicate an anxiety disorder, which requires attention and, often, specialized treatment.

In recent history, anxiety has become more associated with the everyday stresses of modern life, such as pressures at work, school and in social interactions. The 20th century saw an increase in the understanding of anxiety disorders, with the development of psychological and pharmacological treatments to deal with the problem. It also saw anxiety intensified by factors such as excessive use of social networks, overprotection in the real world and overexposure to digital stimuli. The constant need for online validation, the fear of missing out (FOMO) and the incessant comparison with idealized lives create a permanent state of alert, damaging mental well-being. In this way, anxiety, which was once a useful defense mechanism, has become a barrier to the healthy development of new generations.

No free time... Haidt points out in his book that “The Great Reset” is not just about the changes in technologies that shape children’s days and minds. “There is a second narrative: the well-intentioned but disastrous shift to overprotecting children and restricting their autonomy in the real world. Children need a great deal of free play to develop fully. This is a need evident in all mammalian species. The small challenges and setbacks that occur during play act as a kind of immunization, preparing children to face much greater challenges in the future. However, for a number of historical and sociological reasons, free play time began to decline in the 1980s, and this decline accelerated in the 1990s,” he says.

Adults around the world increasingly began to believe that letting their children roam the streets alone would make them targets for kidnappers and sexual abusers. According to Haidt, free and unsupervised play time has declined at the same time that first the computer and then the cell phone have become more popular and more attractive, replacing the spaces and taking up the free time that used to be. “My central thesis is that these two trends — overprotection in the real world and lack of protection in the virtual world — are the main reasons why children born after 1995 have become the anxious generation,” he said.

Disconnected students... In the face of the anxiety epidemic among young people, governments in several countries have adopted measures to try to mitigate the negative effects of the use of new technologies. In Brazil, the Federal Government approved Law 15.100/25, which prohibits students from using cell phones and other portable electronic devices in public and private schools, including during recess and between classes. The ban applies to early childhood education and elementary and high school.

Other countries have adopted similar measures in an attempt to reduce distraction in the classroom and, at the same time, protect students' mental health. In Florida, children under 14 are prohibited from creating social media accounts. Australia went even further, prohibiting the use of social media by children under 16.

The ban, however, divides opinions. For some experts, it may be a simplistic solution to a complex problem, especially because a measure such as not being able to create accounts, for example, is something that young people know how to circumvent easily. “Banning cell phones in schools is important, but it doesn’t solve the underlying problem. We need to educate young people on how to use technology in a healthy way,” said Twenge.

Another interviewee for the FCW Cultura Científica edition, Antônio Álvaro Soares Zuin, a full professor in the Department of Education and the Graduate Program in Education at the Federal University of São Carlos, partly agrees. “Research conducted around the world has shown that it is not feasible to allow children, pre-teens or teenagers to stay in class with their cell phones on social media. Of course, digital technology has incredible pedagogical potential, but with children and teenagers, the reality is that teachers need to have control during class,” he said.

With older teenagers, such as students in the first years of higher education, the solution would be more than simply prohibiting their use. “We can get teachers and students to talk and reach an agreement about the use of cell phones in class, but only at occasional moments, such as when searching for information about concepts or content that is being studied. However, for this to happen, everyone needs to be together, sharing their attention on the same object, without fragmenting it,” he said.

To combat the anxiety epidemic, experts advocate a multifaceted approach. First, it is essential to promote digital education, teaching young people to use technology in a conscious and balanced way. The idea is to help teenagers understand that what they see on social media is often not reality and that they need to learn to disconnect and value interpersonal interactions, not just virtual ones.

In addition, it is crucial to invest in public policies that prioritize mental health. In Brazil, the Unified Health System (SUS) offers free psychological care, but demand still exceeds supply. Finally, experts highlight the important role of parents and educators. “Adults need to lead by example by limiting their own technology use and creating spaces for disconnection at home,” Twenge said.

Addressing the problem is also a responsibility of parents. “If you delay giving your child a smartphone, it will make it easier for other parents to do the same. If you give your child more independence, it will make it easier for other parents to do the same. If you do it together as a family, it will be even easier and even more fun,” Haidt said.

The epidemic of anxiety among young people is a reflection of the profound changes that new technologies are bringing to society. While new communication tools have the potential to connect and inform, they can also alienate and cause health problems. It is up to everyone — governments, institutions, educators, parents and experts — to find a balance that allows us to reap the benefits of technology without sacrificing the mental health of future generations.

mundophone