There are many angles from which we can explore the mental health of children and teenagers today. But wherever we begin, one thing is becoming disturbingly clear: young people are being consumed by technology. Phones, games, apps, endless scrolling, it’s starting to feel less like entertainment and more like addiction.

Have we created a generation of tech zombies?

Children who can’t look up from their screens. Who feel lost without constant digital stimulation. Who are struggling to cope with real-world emotions because their nervous systems are constantly on high alert. Stress and anxiety are at an all-time high. Confidence is at an all-time low. And the more we try to fix it, the more tangled it seems to get.

So, how did we get here?
And more importantly, can we come back from it?

The Technological Apocalypse We Didn’t See Coming

We may not be facing a robot uprising, but something just as worrying is happening. Our dependence on devices is quietly reshaping our minds, our habits, and our emotional resilience. With smartphones in every hand and screens in every room, we must ask: What is this doing to our children’s mental health?

Young people today face an overwhelming number of choices. And with those choices comes confusion, pressure, and self-doubt.
What’s the right decision? Why do I feel so unsure? Why can’t I switch off?

These aren’t just growing pains, they’re symptoms of constant over stimulation and relentless comparison. It’s easy to blame social media, smartphones, and gaming. But have we truly considered whether we’ve created a generation of addicts?

And if so, what happens when we try to take away the very thing they depend on?

A Therapist’s Insight

As a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist, I’ve worked with many young people overwhelmed by anxiety, over stimulation, and emotional disconnection.

One teenage client, just 14, told me she couldn’t fall asleep unless she was scrolling. Her phone had become her comfort blanket, yet it was also the thing fuelling her anxiety.

“If I put it down, I feel like I’m missing something. But when I pick it up, it just makes me feel worse.”

She believed that if she wasn’t always online, she’d lose her friends. That unless she was constantly available, no one would want to talk to her. But once we worked through these beliefs, she realised she could still connect with her friends in real life, and that her phone could be a tool, not something that controlled her.

She joined clubs, spent more time with her friends offline, and felt comfortable enough to put her phone down during activities.
Her anxiety dropped. Her confidence grew. And most importantly, she was happier.

Then there was a 9-year-old who completely smashed up his home when his parents took away his games console. This wasn’t just a tantrum, it was withdrawal.

“Because I wasn’t allowed to play computer games,” he said, as if that explained everything.

When we talked, he began to realise that his reaction wasn’t okay. He understood it might be time for change. With support, he cut back on gaming, set healthy limits, and reconnected with the world around him. He spent more time outside. And again, he was happier for it.

A 12-year-old boy, caught up in a game, punched and shattered his screen. When his mum banned him from playing, he broke down in desperation. Thankfully, she recognised the red flags and came to me for support.

Together, we built boundaries. He could still play and connect with friends online, but with more awareness and control. He didn’t want to feel angry and consumed by the game. And once he understood the link between the game and his emotions, he was ready to make a change.

In all three cases, these young people began to understand their emotional triggers, set healthy boundaries, and reconnect with real life. And with support, each one made meaningful progress, not by banning tech altogether, but by learning to use it in balance.

What the Data Is Telling Us

The statistics are impossible to ignore.

According to the 2023 NHS Digital Health Survey for Children and Young People in England, one in four older teenagers now has a probable mental health disorder, a figure that’s doubled since 2017. Among younger children, issues like anxiety, sleep problems, and attention difficulties are also on the rise.

Excessive screen time is a major factor.

Psychologist Dr Jean Twenge, author of iGen, highlights the sharp rise in mental health issues since the explosion of smartphones and social media in 2012:

“The more time teens spend looking at screens, the more likely they are to report symptoms of depression. Those who spend more time on social media are also more likely to feel lonely.”

But Why Stop at the Kids?

Is it fair to blame children when they’ve grown up watching us do the same?

Walk into any cafe or restaurant and you’ll see it: adults side by side, not speaking, just scrolling. Parents answering emails while toddlers tug at their sleeves. We taught this behaviour, not with our words, but with our actions. And they’ve been watching.

We’re often emotionally absent, even when we’re physically present.
We scroll while they play. We nod while they talk.
We think we’re multitasking.
They just feel unseen.

Children aren’t learning empathy, patience, or communication through screens. These are learned face-to-face. And when their cries for connection are ignored, it’s no surprise they retreat into digital worlds.

Have We Forgotten How to Feel?

With so much happening in the world, I find myself wondering:

Have we started avoiding our emotions through our screens?

We feel something, we scroll.
To avoid difficult conversations, we open another app.
We’re replacing presence with distraction, then wondering why we feel more disconnected than ever.

People come to me thinking they’re broken. That something is wrong with them. But often, the solution is much simpler than they realise.

They don’t need another app.
They need human connection.
Space to feel.
And permission to be human.

Emotions aren’t the enemy. They’re a part of what makes us whole.

Real Tools, Not More Screens

That’s why I’ve developed three courses, not to add to the digital noise, but to provide real tools for emotional well-being:

• Mental Health in the Workplace
  Because we should all be able to thrive, not just survive, at work.

• Trauma Training
  Because many people don’t know what trauma really is, let alone how to heal from it. Understanding trauma is the first step to reconnection.

• Building Confidence and Resilience in Children and Young People
  Because they are the future. And right now, we are heading for a crisis if we don’t act.

Reconnection Is the Revolution

It’s time to return to what truly matters: understanding one another, building real relationships, and allowing ourselves to be fully human, messy emotions and all.

If we don’t change course now, we risk raising not just a generation of tech zombies, but shaping a society that no longer remembers how to truly connect. A society that’s always online, but emotionally offline.

Let’s not just survive the digital age.
Let’s thrive in it.

Let’s use technology the way it was meant to be used, as a tool, not a crutch. As a bridge, not a barrier.

So, Are You Ready to Try

To put the phone down.
To look someone in the eye.
To be fully present.

Because reconnection starts with us.
And the time is now.