Doomscrolling, multitasking and digital exhaustion — sound familiar? You’re not alone. As the first generation raised on social media, Gen Z is also the most anxious, according to Jonathan Haidt’s New York Times bestseller “The Anxious Generation.” Is that really just a coincidence? Haidt, a social psychologist and NYU Stern School of Business professor, doesn’t think so.

For people born in the year 2000, they were seven when the iPhone came out and around twelve when they joined Instagram. They hit puberty not in the real world meeting up with friends after school, but online — “swiping, tapping, liking,” in the words of Haidt, and wondering if their latest post would go viral. 

Instead of going through adolescence in person, many spent it glued to screens. And then, as Haidt argues in “The Anxious Generation,” mental health among young people collapsed.

At a book talk held Tuesday at Norris Cinema Theatre and moderated by Dean of Religious Life Varun Soni, Haidt laid out the case for how Gen Z became the most anxious, depressed and isolated generation in modern history.

Soni began the conversation by describing how when Gen Z began to arrive on campus his spiritual conversations took a downward turn. He said, instead of asking about meaning, hopes and dreams, students wanted to talk about meaninglessness and why they should continue living. He worries that students are becoming too anxious and depressed to participate in the collegiate community. 

Humans have always relied on generational knowledge, passing down wisdom from elders to youth. But since 2012, when social media took over, that flow of knowledge has been disrupted, Haidt said. Instead of learning from parents, teachers and mentors, Gen Z has been raised on a steady diet of trending memes and TikTok sound bites. Haidt argues that this shift has left young people deprived of meaningful, real-world connections and experiences.

According to Haidt, the rapid shift from a play-based childhood to a phone-based one has rewired Gen Z’s brains. He pointed out a disturbing trend: while previous generations developed resilience through face-to-face interactions, today’s young people default to their phones at the first sign of discomfort. 

Waiting for an elevator? Check your phone. Sitting next to someone attractive? Pull out your phone. The result? A generation that avoids social risk-taking and struggles with real-world connection.

Bryce Savoy, a senior majoring in psychology, said although many people crave connection, the phone creates isolation and loneliness in dating culture.

“Over 60% of people now meet their partners online which is just insane. It used to be mostly friends and family — social networking,” Savoy said. “To me, that makes a lot more sense because they’re sort of pre-vetted, someone that you might actually run into, share interests with, social circles. But now it’s complete strangers, and it’s because people are so averse to feeling awkward now and [feeling] discomfort.” 

Haidt has also talked with corporate leaders and said they are often “unsatisfied” with their Gen Z employees. 

“The almost universal response is … ‘We’re really unsatisfied with our Gen Z employees. They don’t show initiative. They expect accommodations for everything. They can’t pay attention. They’re multitasking,’” Haidt said. 

One thing Haidt said he admires about Gen Z is that they’re not in denial about the role of phones. No one has to be persuaded because everyone feels the unease, understands why it’s happening and wishes for a better world.

Fariha Sheikh, a graduate student studying applied data science, recognizes that Gen Z struggles with turning to social media as a crutch.

“I feel like I have a habit of winding down by scrolling Instagram. That is so bad for my health. And I’m 22 and people younger than me, people older than me, have better or worse habits. So I think to grow as a society, this is definitely a very important topic that we should all reflect upon,” Sheikh said.

Despite the negative statistics, Haidt believes the future is optimistic. He said more students are opting out of the social media doom, valuing phone-free spaces and seeking deeper, more meaningful relationships. Haidt believes the real breakthrough will come when young people recognize their collective power. 

This idea resonated with Savoy, who shared a similar perspective on future actions to tackle the issue.

“One thing I learned is it doesn’t take everyone, it just takes a critical mass…even if a quarter of people move to a new modality, a new way of being, that can influence others.,” Savoy said.

Haidt urged the audience to be part of the grand human story by putting their phones away, reading history and taking the chance to have great adventures. He sees a future where Gen Z responds to the call of action and organizes movements, reshapes societal norms and reclaims their role in a functioning democracy. From the reactions to the book and the speed of the reforms being enacted, he feels hopeful about rolling back the phone-based childhood in just a few years. 

“You are living in a really difficult and amazing and frightening and incredible time,” Haidt said. “I think and expect that you’re going to rise to this challenge.”