The Digital Hustle Is Hurting Our Teens | Opinion

America’s youth are facing a mental health crisis unlike any we’ve seen before —one that’s not just fueled by academic stress or peer pressure, but also amplified by an increasingly complex and demanding digital landscape. From social media algorithms that capture their attention to a culture of pressure that can leave them feeling like they’re never enough, our kids are being pulled in endless directions. The cost? Their mental health.
A new study by the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Indiana University, and Common Sense Media paints a sobering picture. More than a quarter of American teens are struggling with burnout—a term once reserved for overworked professionals. Today, it’s a reality for millions of kids who are just trying to balance school, friendships, parent expectations, and their futures.
The warning signs have been there. Last year, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on youth mental health that detailed the academic, financial, and societal pressures that teens face, which has contributed to a pervasive sense of loneliness. In fact, most teens today feel more disconnected from their peers than they did 20 years ago.
This crisis demands that we look beyond traditional awareness campaigns. While open conversations about mental health are critical, they aren’t enough. We need to address the social pressures, many of which are intensified by the very tools our children use for hours each day. Social media platforms amplify anxieties around appearance, achievement, and even activism for kids, with three-quarters of teens reporting that social media at least sometimes worsens their anxiety about how they look and how they’re perceived.
But the issue goes deeper than screen time. As Harvard researchers point out, it’s about a culture that glorifies hustle. According to the survey, 53 percent of teens feel immense pressure to achieve, while 56 percent stress over not having a clear plan for their future. These are not just academic worries—they reflect a larger societal issue where productivity is valued above well-being. Even the concept of self-care is often viewed by teens as unproductive or something they don’t have time for.
We cannot allow this to continue. New York is already leading the nation in addressing the digital and mental health crisis through landmark legislation like the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and the Child Data Protection Act . Technologies should be used to empower, not entrap, the next generation, and our policies must be built with this in mind. Digital platforms can be part of the solution, but only if we hold the tech industry accountable for their role in this crisis.
Teens want to live in a world where their mental health is prioritized and are looking to their parents, educators, and policymakers to work together to create a healthier environment—both online and offline. This means encouraging self-care practices like getting outside, engaging in creative activities, and making time for relaxation and sleep—as New York has done with initiatives like the Get Offline, Get Outside campaign. Teens who engage in these types of activities report lower rates of burnout, but barriers—like a lack of time or the pressure to always be productive—keep too many from doing these simple, restorative activities.
We must also support our local schools and communities as they rise to the challenge. Implementing thoughtful smartphone policies in the classroom and more access to mental health resources is more important than ever. In New York, we are committed to expanding access to these services, but prevention must also be part of the equation. That means creating spaces where teens can focus on friendships, creativity, and self-expression without feeling the constant pressure to perform or conform.
As we observed World Mental Health Day, this isn’t just a call to action for tech companies or lawmakers—it’s a call for all of us. We need to empower the next generation, while helping them navigate a world that’s changing faster than ever. The future of our youth depends on us breaking the cycle of burnout and restoring balance.
James P. Steyer is founder and CEO of Common Sense Media.
Kathy Hochul is the 57th governor of New York.

The views expressed in this article are the writers’ own.