The Teen Mental Health Crisis, Part 1
We\u2019re in the midst of a serious teen mental health crisis. The number of teenagers and young adults with clinical depression more than doubled between 2011 and 2021. The suicide rate for teenagers nearly doubled from 2007 to 2019, and tripled for 10- to 14-year- olds in particular. According to the C.D.C., nearly 25 percent of teenage girls made a suicide plan in 2021. What\u2019s going on in the lives of teenagers that has produced such a startling uptick?\n\nJean Twenge, a research psychologist and author of the books \u201ciGen\u201d and \u201cGenerations,\u201d has spent years poring over mental health statistics and survey data trying to answer this question. In her view, the story in the data is clear: Our teenage mental health crisis is the direct product of the rise of smartphones and social media.\n\nSo I wanted to have Twenge on the show to elicit and interrogate her argument. What is the actual evidence for the smartphone thesis? How do we account for the fact that teenage girls and liberals are having far worse outcomes than boys and conservatives? What about alternate explanations for this crisis, like meritocratic pressure, the economy, school shootings and climate change? And if Twenge is right that the culprit is smartphones, then what can we do to address that problem?\n\nIf you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.\n\nListen to this podcast in New York Times Audio, our new iOS app for news subscribers. Download now at nytimes.com/audioapp\n\nMentioned:\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re Missing a Key Driver of Teen Anxiety\u201d by Derek Thompson\n\n\u201cThe Paradox of Wealthy Nations\u2019 Low Adolescent Life Satisfaction\u201d\xa0by Robert Rudolf and Dirk Bethmann\n\n\u201cOur Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation\u201d by the U.S. Surgeon General\u2019s Advisory\n\nBook Recommendations:\n\nThe Problem With Everything by Meghan Daum\n\nWhat\u2019s Our Problem? by Tim Urban\n\nNine Ladies by Heather Moll\n\nThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.\n\nYou can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of \u201cThe Ezra Klein Show\u201d at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.\n\nThis episode of \u201cThe Ezra Klein Show\u201d was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact checking by Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Mixing by Jeff Geld. Our production team is Emefa Agawu, Annie Galvin, Jeff Geld, Roge Karma and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. And special thanks to Efim Shapiro and Kristina Samulewski.