A startling new study from Sapien Labs has found that aggressive behavior, detachment from reality, and hallucinations are all on the rise in teenagers as young as 13—and researchers say smartphones are the prime culprit. The sweeping research, which surveyed 10,500 teens aged 13 to 17 in both the U.S. and India, sheds disturbing new light on how digital devices may be warping children’s minds and undermining their mental health.
“People don’t fully appreciate that hyper-real and hyper-immersive screen experiences can blur reality at key stages of development,”
—Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, addiction psychologist (not involved in the study)
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The findings are stark:
- 37% of 13-year-olds reported feeling aggression, compared to 27% of 17-year-olds.
- 20% of 13-year-olds said they experience hallucinations—far higher than older teens.
- 42% of American girls and 27% of American boys aged 13 to 17 have struggled with suicidal thoughts.
It appears that the earlier children get smartphones, the worse their mental health outcomes become. Sapien Labs chief scientist Tara Thiagarajan emphasized the basic social disconnect fostered by excessive screen time: “Once you have a phone, you spend a lot less time with in-person interaction … You’re no longer connected in the way humans have been wired for hundreds of thousands of years.”
Aggression and Violence on the Rise
The study also points to a troubling spike in violence, particularly among younger teenage girls. Dr. Kardaras, who runs Omega Recovery tech addiction center, notes his clinic frequently admits teens who have physically attacked family members—often when parents try to take away their phones. In schools, we’ve seen teachers assaulted or pepper-sprayed by students for confiscating devices, and the CDC has warned of increased violence among teen girls.
Thiagarajan highlighted that violence is now front and center: children are increasingly fearing for their safety at school, while incidents like the December school shooting in Wisconsin—carried out by a female teen—underscore the shifting landscape of youth aggression.
Why Is This Happening?
- Overstimulation and “Hyper-Immersion”
With smartphones offering endless streams of social media, videos, and gaming, children’s brains—especially at critical developmental stages—may blur reality and fantasy, leading to hallucinations or dissociation. - Increased Isolation
Kids who start using phones at younger ages spend less time in real-life social settings, leading to stunted interpersonal skills and heightened aggression. - Underlying Addiction Mechanisms
Dr. Kardaras calls screen time a “toxin”—one that can derail normal brain development and foster addictive behaviors. When cut off, teens may lash out.
Connecting the Dots: Outdated Safety Standards and Society’s Blind Spot
As this new research highlights the surging mental-health crisis among youth, it’s crucial to acknowledge that smartphone use is facilitated by wireless infrastructure—cell towers, Wi-Fi routers, and industry-engineered “safety” standards that ignore the nuanced impacts of chronic device exposure. Our current system:
- Ignores Non-Thermal Effects: The FCC’s “thermal-only” guidelines assume harm only occurs if devices heat tissue—overlooking the psychological and neurological toll that might come from low-level, chronic exposure or immersive screen time.
- Blocks Health Concerns: Section 704 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, still in effect, prevents local communities and parents from citing health risks in zoning disputes over tower placements.
While the new Sapien Labs study focuses on psychological harms from smartphones, the legal and regulatory framework enabling ubiquitous cell phone usage also merits scrutiny. If cell towers are closer than 1,500 feet to schools and neighborhoods, the barrage of notifications, always-on connectivity, and immersive online experiences become all but inescapable for kids.
A Call for Change: Rethinking Tech and Our Kids’ Future
- Educate and Empower Parents
- Understand that giving a young child a smartphone may predispose them to aggression, hallucinations, and severe mental health issues.
- Set firm age restrictions for smartphones, limit screen time, and encourage real-world social interactions.
- Overhaul Industry-Made Safety Guidelines
- Replace the FCC’s engineer-devised “thermal-only” standards with medically backed guidelines that account for real developmental impacts—psychological and otherwise.
- Repeal Section 704
- Allow local communities and school boards to legally contest cell tower placements too close to where children live and learn.
- Restore parents’ right to invoke health concerns, including mental health data, when challenging wireless infrastructure near schools.
- Enforce Safe Distances
- Adopt the BioInitiative recommendation of at least 1,500 feet between cell towers and schools, preschools, and neighborhoods.
- Where tower relocation isn’t feasible, consider space-based solutions like satellite-to-cell technology to reduce ground-level exposure.
- Champion Responsible Tech
- Highlight that the mental-health crisis in teens correlates with hyper-immersive screen experiences. Encourage safer device designs, usage habits, and regulatory policies aligned with long-term well-being.
A Wake-Up Call
This study from Sapien Labs confirms what many parents and educators have suspected: excessive smartphone usage—especially from a very young age—can lead to aggression, detachment, and even hallucinations in teenagers. The potential risk extends beyond mental and emotional health to family relationships, school safety, and community well-being.
The solution isn’t just about parental controls or stricter phone rules at home. It’s about systemic reform—from removing unconstitutional laws that silence health concerns to imposing medically sound safety guidelines on wireless infrastructure.
Our children’s future is on the line. If we fail to act on these new findings, we risk raising a generation detached from reality, grappling with aggression, and susceptible to self-harm. Only by confronting the outdated regulatory framework and adopting real solutions—like safe tower distances and potentially space-based connectivity—can we begin to reverse the damage and Make America Healthy Again.
How You Can Help
- Share this article with friends, school boards, and parent-teacher associations to raise awareness of the Sapien Labs study.
- Contact lawmakers to demand repeal of Section 704 and the replacement of the FCC’s outdated “thermal-only” SAR guidelines.
- Advocate for Safe Distances: Urge local officials to mandate at least 1,500 feet between cell towers and schools, and consider satellite-to-cell technologies in crowded urban areas.
- Empower Teens: Encourage real-life socializing, mental health support, and responsible digital habits to help them navigate the smartphone era more safely.
It’s time to protect our kids from what was once unimaginable—technology turning them against reality, and against themselves. By addressing the legal and scientific failings enabling this epidemic, we can help foster a healthier generation, both mentally and physically.