The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness Author: Jonathan Haidt

In The Anxious Generation, renowned social psychologist Jonathan Haidt delivers a provocative and urgent examination of the mental health crisis affecting today's youth. Building on his influential work in The Coddling of the American Mind, Haidt argues that the “Great Rewiring”—a societal shift driven by smartphones, social media, and the disappearance of independent play—has profoundly altered how children grow, relate, and cope.

With compelling research and cultural analysis, Haidt investigates:

The dramatic rise in anxiety, depression, and self-harm among adolescents

The impact of screen-based childhood on social development and emotional regulation

The loss of free play, autonomy, and offline relationships in shaping resilience

Gender-specific effects, including disproportionate harm to girls

Policy and parenting strategies to restore healthy development

Grounded in neuroscience, developmental psychology, and real-world data, The Anxious Generation calls for a reevaluation of how society supports children in the digital age. Haidt proposes sweeping reforms in education, tech regulation, and community design to reconnect youth with the vital experiences that build strength and well-being.

With a visually symbolic cover—a sea of orange play balls surrounding a solitary child—this book encapsulates both isolation and overstimulation in today's culture. It’s essential reading for educators, parents, mental health professionals, and policymakers seeking solutions to a growing crisis.