A Growing Crisis
We Can’t Ignore

The Mental
Health Crisis

Across the country, and here in New Jersey, young people are experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and social isolation.

Research increasingly points to a powerful driver: excessive screen use, social media exposure, and addictive technology design.

The Digital Disconnect

Children are spending more time online and less time engaging in real-world connection, physical activity, and meaningful relationships.

At the same time, powerful tech platforms continue to expand rapidly, often without adequate safeguards for young users.

A Call for
Collective Action!

If left unaddressed, this crisis will shape not only individual lives, but also the future of our workforce, families, and communities.

This is not just a parenting issue. It’s a public health and economic issue - and it requires collective action.

Know the Facts

Alarming Statistics About Youth, Social Media & Mental Health

Based on The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health

  • 95% of teens ages 13–17 use social media, and more
    than one-third say they use it “almost constantly.”

  • Nearly 40% of children ages 8–12 already use social media,
    even though most platforms require users to be at least 13 years old.

  • Teens who spend more than 3 hours per day on social media face
    double the risk of poor mental health outcomes, including symptoms of anxiety and depression.

  • By 2021, 8th and 10th graders averaged 3.5 hours per day on
    social media — and many spend far more.

  • Among teens surveyed:

    • 1 in 4 spend 5+ hours daily on social media

    • 1 in 7 spend 7+ hours daily

  • A large study of college-aged youth found that the introduction of a social media platform was linked to:

    • a 9% increase in depression

    • a 12% increase in anxiety

    • and potentially 300,000+ new depression cases nationwide.

  • 46% of adolescents ages 13–17 say social media makes them feel worse about their body image, while only 14% say it makes them feel better.

  • Nearly 75% of adolescents say social media companies do only a fair or poor job addressing cyberbullying and online harassment.

  • Nearly 6 in 10 adolescent girls report being contacted by strangers online in ways that made them uncomfortable.

  • On a typical weekday, nearly 1 in 3 adolescents use screens until midnight or later, contributing to poor sleep, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Additional Findings from the Advisory

  • 64% of adolescents are exposed to hate-based content online “often” or “sometimes.”

  • One-third or more of girls ages 11–15 say they feel “addicted” to social media.

  • 53% of parents worry social media causes anxiety or depression in their children.

  • 71% of parents worry about exposure to explicit content online.