One of the biggest culprits of anxiety in Gen Z is digital dependency. Teenagers today spend more time glued to screens than ever before. Studies show they average 7-9 hours of screen time a day, not counting school-related activities. And, let’s be honest, we’re not talking about just watching Netflix — these kids are deep into social media, gaming, texting, and probably even googling how to juggle all this at once.

The problem? While the internet offers endless entertainment and connection, it’s also a digital treadmill that just keeps going. Constant notifications, messages, and the perpetual need to stay updated create a heightened state of alertness and stress — also known as digital anxiety. Many teens struggle to manage their screen time, and it’s easy to see why. Dopamine hits from social media and gaming can become addictive, leading to a cycle of “one more scroll” or “just one more level.” The result? Overstimulation, burnout, and more anxiety than a caffeine-fueled all-nighter.

Social media is a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it’s a lifeline to connection, but on the other, it’s a breeding ground for comparison and peer pressure. Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat — these platforms are where teens go to “be seen” and “be liked.” Unfortunately, they’re also where teens come face-to-face with unrealistic standards of beauty, success, and happiness.

As one of my adolescent clients put it, “I feel like my life isn’t real unless it’s on Instagram.” Anxiety comes when teens compare their unfiltered selves to the filtered lives of others. Everyone’s vacation looks perfect; everyone’s skin is flawless; everyone’s life is #goals. (Spoiler alert: It’s not real, but try telling that to a 16-year-old who’s just scrolled through 200 perfect selfies.) The anxiety that arises from FOMO and the constant pressure to post the perfect image is emotionally draining, like trying to keep up with an Instagram influencer while managing your own real-life meltdown.

Let’s talk about the pressure to succeed — it’s suffocating. Gen Z is expected to be academically gifted, socially aware, globally responsible, and, let’s not forget, successful in their future careers by the age of 16. These teens are under immense pressure to excel in school, participate in extracurriculars, volunteer, and prep for the "perfect" career. It’s no wonder that some of them walk into therapy saying they feel like they’re in an academic version of "The Hunger Games."

These pressures are compounded by the belief that their self-worth is tied directly to their academic and career performance. A single bad grade or a missed extracurricular can feel like the end of the world. And don’t even get me started on the societal pressure to attend a top-tier university and secure a "prestigious" job. It’s enough to make anyone anxious, let alone a teenager who’s just trying to survive high school.

You know that moment when you’re scrolling through social media and the world feels like it’s falling apart? Welcome to the daily reality for Gen Z. From climate change to political chaos, economic uncertainty, and social justice movements, today’s teens are constantly exposed to global crises. And here’s the kicker: they actually care. They’re not just scrolling past, they’re feeling deeply connected to these issues — and also completely overwhelmed by them.

I often hear teens express eco-anxiety and existential dread, worrying about a planet they feel may not even be here in their lifetime. The pressure to solve the world’s problems can be paralyzing. When you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, it’s hard to focus on anything else, including, you know, actually getting out of bed in the morning. The challenge here is teaching teens to stay informed without letting these global crises drown them in anxiety. Because, spoiler alert: the world might be in chaos, but we can’t solve it from a phone screen — and certainly not in the middle of a panic attack.

If you’ve ever had a teen stare at their phone for five minutes without speaking a word, you’ve seen the effects of a lack of real-world social skills. These days, teens communicate primarily through texts, DMs, and memes, which, while funny, don’t exactly help them develop the face-to-face conversation skills that are so crucial for navigating social settings.

When teens are faced with real-world interactions, many feel social anxiety because they’re unsure how to communicate, express emotions, or navigate conflict without the buffer of a screen. The result? They isolate themselves or avoid social situations, deepening their anxiety. (Not to mention, it’s kind of hard to win an argument through text when you can’t see the other person’s facial expressions.)