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On September 7th, Dr. Richard Friedman, a psychiatrist and contributing opinion writer at the New York Times wrote a piece called, The Big Myth About Teenage Anxiety. In it, in his own words, he tells us to “Relax…because the digital age is not wrecking your kid's brain.” As can be read in my own Op-Ed written over the summer, I agree with much of what Dr. Friedman wrote. But I also have deep concerns that Dr. Friedman downplayed the public health crisis that youth anxiety represents and missed important points about causes and solutions for anxiety. Much of my reaction can be read in a letter to the New York Times editor, published this past Sunday, but I expand on some of these ideas below.
First, while talking about the "myth" of the teen anxiety epidemic, he fails to highlight that—whatever the cause—millions of teens are suffering from anxiety. He cites the report by Merikangas and colleagues on the clinical survey of teen mental health in the U.S. This study showed that by the age of 18, almost one-third of youth show symptoms of anxiety severe enough to merit a diagnosis. This means that millions of teens are struggling with debilitating anxiety. He quickly dismisses the idea that these alarming rates of anxiety are caused by technology, a viewpoint to which I am sympathetic. Yet, he also dismisses the possibility that technology contributes to the cycle of anxiety in important and preventable ways. There is good reason to believe that he is wrong to do so.
Second, I agree with Dr. Friedman that kids and teens are facing an anxiety-provoking world, so distress is largely normal. But to dismiss parents' instincts that our kids are in trouble and that technology may be part of the problem ("just relax," he exhorts us) risks being both misguided and condescending. Not all concerned parents are helicopter parents, calling the shrink - if they can even afford one - to check in on their child following a tough break up. The wisdom of parents is that, even when we're not sure what to do or how to help, we know when things aren't right with our kids. We all know that something is off about our children's (and our) relationship with digital technology.
Finally, Dr. Friedman argues, like many before him, that smartphones and video games are just another technological innovation that has triggered existential panic. I disagree. There is a qualitative difference between worries about television and "brain rot" and worries about our current digital ecosystem. Television was not designed to mediate our lives, go everywhere with us, track our every purchase and movement, or listen in on our conversations. My parents never had to worry about internet trolls and haters during Saturday morning cartoons.
Dr. Friedman rightly reminds us to take a step back and stop blaming technology for our children's suffering, and that distress is normal and healthy. But I hope he remembers the wisdom of parents and appreciates that excellent research is underway to tease apart the links between anxiety and technology so that we can find real solutions.
