As a leader in residential mental health care for adolescents with centers throughout California, Mission Prep has tracked the sharp rise in anxiety among adolescents in the United States, and the rates of concomitant technology dependence—a troubling phenomenon they believe all mental health practitioners need to be doing more to tackle.
There is little doubt that rates of anxiety are deepening greatly among adolescents with Gen Z—who today are between 13 and 28—named by many as the ‘anxious generation’. However, as Mission Prep stresses, behind the headlines, the incidence of severe anxiety, depression and suicidal ideations has risen by as much as 167% in the years 2010 to 2020.
As much as this is a crisis in mental health, their expert team also believes it is a crisis in technology use. As the actions of the Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen in 2021 made plain, social media and tech algorithms are actively harming today’s teenagers, especially their mental health.
Mission Prep has seen firsthand that social media is negatively rewiring the developing brains of teens aged 12 to 17, diminishing their ability to regulate their emotions, lowering their impulse control and stunting their cognitive development. More specifically, in vulnerable teens, it is linked with exacerbated anxiety and depression, poor sleep, disordered eating, and more.
As such, Mission Prep feels strongly that new therapeutic tools must be added to therapists’ toolkits to tackle this crisis and to help teens develop a lifelong positive relationship with themselves and with technology.
As Dr. William Doge, a medical doctor and national board member with the center, said, “We believe that specialized programs that address technology dependence and that focus on reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders associated with technology overuse are essential. By teaching healthy technology habits and promoting better sleep hygiene, teens experience improved mental health and emotional regulation.”
He added, “Additionally, these programs can encourage face-to-face interactions and real-world social activities, which help develop essential social skills and build healthier relationships.”
As such, new initiatives their residential centers are pioneering include weekly surf therapy sessions, weekly Rock to Recovery music sessions and free-choice outings once or twice weekly to places like movies, arcades, skate parks, and beaches. The goal is to help reduce stress and build confidence, but also make therapy more approachable for those who might otherwise resist treatment.
These experiential outings, which are conducted and chaperoned by specialized therapists, are complemented by traditional individual therapy, family therapy and clinical mentor sessions. For additional support, the center has also developed social media and technology-focused EMDR therapy and art therapy offerings.
Mission Prep also believes it is essential to take a realistic approach to technology and rather than cutting teens off completely, staff supervise smartphone and laptop use during appropriate clinical sessions and dedicated Tech Time groups. Teens can also make daily ten-minute phone calls to approved contacts.
Mission Prep has made their full strategy available on their website, and they hope their new treatment modalities can serve as a model for other centers.