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The Anxious Generation
- How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
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The Anxious Generation
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
An urgent and insightful investigation into the collapse in youth mental health, from the influential social psychologist and international bestselling author
After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents in many countries around the world deteriorated suddenly in the early 2010s. Why have rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide risen so sharply, more than doubling in many cases?
In this book, Social Psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that the decline of free-play in childhood and the rise of smartphone usage among adolescents are the twin sources of increased mental distress among teenagers.
Haidt delves into the latest psychological and biological research to show how, between 2010 and 2015, childhood and adolescence got rewired. As teens traded in their flip phones for smartphones packed with social media apps, time online soared while time engaging face-to-face with friends and family plummeted, and so did mental health. This profound shift took place against a backdrop of diminishing childhood freedom, as parents over-supervised every aspect of their children’s lives offline, depriving them of the experiences they most need to become strong and self-governing adults.
The Anxious Generation reveals the fundamental ways in which this shift from free-play to smartphones disrupts development – from sleep deprivation to addiction – with separate in-depth analyses of the impact on girls and boys. Grounded in ancient wisdom and packed full of cutting-edge science, this eye-opening book is a life raft and a powerful call-to-arms, offering practical advice for parents, schools, governments, and teens themselves.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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What listeners say about The Anxious Generation
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- Ian Day
- 29-05-24
Depth of research
Because it spoke to so many different interested parties repetition was an issue
Nonetheless a valuable resource for parents, teachers legislators and even grandsds
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- ThaB
- 14-06-24
Essential reading for modern parents!
This book deserves widespread recommendation among parents and educators! It's an eye-opener that helps people understand the negative impact of a phone-based childhood. If many parents come together and prevent their kids from using digital devices, the next generation might not feel the same peer pressure to use one.
As a stepparent to 2 teenagers, I felt like the author was describing their current behaviour as if he knew them personally. The insights into the challenges and pressures faced by today's youth were spot-on and incredibly relatable.
What stood out to me most was the practical advice the author provided. I also have a 3-year-old son, and I am determined to put into practice the recommendations regarding no screens, no social media, and the importance of a play-based childhood. The emphasis on fostering a healthy, balanced environment for children was both reassuring and motivating.
This book is an invaluable resource for any parent or guardian navigating the complexities of raising children in today's digital age. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to understand and support their kids better.
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- Matt
- 05-05-24
A timely and important book
A refreshing push back against the pervasive intrusion of negative kinds of technology use into every sphere of childhood. I am hopeful this work will continue to inspire movements for change.
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- B Street
- 20-04-24
Irrefutable!
What I found particularly enlightening is what the phone has otherwise prevented kids from doing. I would have thought it was enough, for example, that schools don’t allow phones to be on in the classroom. But I never thought about the kids going immediately between each class to check their phone rather than engage with one another. So many facts were devastating that I can’t stop talking to others about this book and I have since joined a grassroots movement in the UK called Smartphone Free Childhood. Sadly, it’s a little late for my teenage girls, both of whom have battled/are battling various mental health issues but I feel fully inspired to disseminate this information to break that collective behaviour of which I too became a victim.
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- Ms N Hodge
- 15-04-24
very enlightening. important listening and learning for parents, teens, teachers and others.
Some interesting well researched info. Good suggestions for what we can do. highly recommended. I've been sending out copies to many friends.
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- Yalls
- 12-05-24
great insight
I liked the format of the book and especially the fact that the author presented workable solutions to the problem attended end. I'm trying to implement them as a lot of the issues he highlights are present my teen.
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- Gerry
- 17-04-24
Essential reading
I hope this book comes to be seen as one of the most important books of the decade. We all need to take this in, ask hard questions of ourselves, and push for appropriate action. Everyone should read this but especially parents. I am far from a luddite - 10+ years in tech including the last 5 in AI... Even for those of us devoting our lives to the positive impact technology can make, this book is incredibly difficult to argue with. Stop reading reviews and buy it.
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- Mr Hayward
- 30-04-24
Sleepwalking into a mental health crisis
As ever in his books, Johnathan Haidt spells out the issues facing our society and the effects and tolls it is and has taken on the generations that have followed. i hope all schools and parents take heed and listen to some of the ideas in this book. insightful as ever in his writing, can’t recommend enough.
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- Tim
- 28-04-24
A Must Read
The most important parenting advice of our generation! In summary, we need to get our kids of their phones, off social media and playing more in the real world. A great book. Thank you Johnathan 🙏
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- Amazon Customer
- 02-05-24
Brilliant
Shinning a bright light on our phone based lifestyle and how it’s impacting our younger generation with practical tips on how we can change the status quo.
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