I have a slightly different theory, which is that being constantly online (and especially on social media, which is how all kids in high school seem to interact

I have a slightly different theory, which is that being constantly online (and especially on social media, which is how all kids in high school seem to interact at all hours of the day) causes tons of anxiety and stress. It's not necessarily that social media is 'bad' per se, as it is very unbalanced -- it triggers that dopamine rush in that part of the brain that says 'be social, your life depends on it', but then the brain never gets back the true feedback that it needs (eye contact, body language, tone, facial expressions). It's like the equivalent of eating empty carbs. Imagine a vicious cycle where parents see kids are stressed -> parents become more protective and keep them inside -> kids spend even more time on technology. We know from research that exercise, getting into nature, spending time with people in person all lower stress levels and are good for you, but it seems like the trend is to go the opposite way.