In a quickly changing virtual world, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt warns that we’ve lost all of these things. In his recent book The Anxious Generation, he highlights the disturbing link between social media, smartphone addiction, and worsening mental health among the young. His work has sparked a great public struggle. Everyone can agree that the younger generation’s attention span and ability to learn is at stake.
Haidt’s book reminds us of the most staggering statistics that set the stage for this crisis. A 2021 study indicated that adolescents aged 13 to 18 spend an average of eight hours and 39 minutes on screens each day. A 2023 Smart Growth America report put that into a shocking context — teens are getting almost 240 notifications per day. They unlock their devices over 100 times a day. This level of constant digital absorption, Haidt contends, is corrosive to people’s mental health and ability to concentrate.
In a recent discussion on The Oprah Podcast, Haidt engaged with a 17-year-old who identified as a social media addict. He reiterated a need for robust action across all sectors to address this widespread epidemic.
“I would recommend going cold turkey [from social apps] for a month, if you can.” – Jonathan Haidt
Haidt asserts that this temporary withdrawal can help rebuild the ability to focus, a skill he deems critical for personal and professional success. He believes that by age 25, an individual’s frontal cortex reaches maturation, making it essential to cultivate focus before that milestone.
“It is urgent that you restore your brain,” Haidt stated, advocating for proactive measures to mitigate the negative effects of technology on mental health. He recommends that you engage friends and family members in this fun challenge. In this way, people can help themselves develop new patterns of more limited phone use.
“If you can find three other family members, three friends to do this with,” – Jonathan Haidt
In addition to taking breaks from social media, Haidt encourages young people to complete one task before transitioning to another. This practice promotes attentiveness and helps to challenge the distractions that technology seems to breed.
“These things are designed to interrupt you,” he remarked, highlighting how modern devices constantly vie for attention, undermining concentration.
Haidt’s worries are the same as those raised by America’s U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Earlier this year, Murthy cautioned dangers to youth mental health associated with social media use and excessive smartphone use. The urgency of Haidt’s message resonates as he points out that an inability to concentrate can significantly hinder one’s prospects in both personal and professional spheres.
“Do you think any employer’s going to find it useful to hire someone who can’t focus?” – Jonathan Haidt
Society is still very much engaged in and working through these issues. Experts such as Srini Pillay are starting to reveal the complicated relationship between music and focus. Pillay points out that emotional volatility clouds attention and calls for spaces that promote awareness and the need to be focused.
“There are many ways that music can impact the brain’s ability to focus,” – Srini Pillay