Netflix’s latest miniseries Adolescence doesn’t just tell a story, it ignites one. The British series, filmed almost entirely in single takes, follows the chilling unraveling of teenage Jamie Miller, who is arrested for the murder of a classmate. But the true tension of Adolescence lies not in the crime but in what drives it: a potent and unsettling mix of adolescent fragility and toxic online influences.

The show has triggered global conversations around teenagers, tech, and mental health. One voice that stood out amidst this discourse was that of Dr. Cam Caswell, a U.S.-based adolescent psychologist. Her viral Instagram post critiqued the tendency to respond to such digital-age crises with “panic mode” solutions. Instead of banning screens or blaming algorithms, she invites us to ask a different question: What if the real solution lies not in how we regulate technology, but in how we relate to our teens?

This shift in tone, empathetic, relational, and grounded in trust, sparked both admiration and backlash. Critics accused Caswell of underplaying the risks of online radicalization or excusing adolescent accountability. But in a powerful follow-up, she clarified: “This isn’t about parenting less. It’s about parenting differently, with more curiosity, compassion, and connection.”

Teenagers today are navigating a digital landscape unlike anything previous generations experienced. For them, social media is not a pastime, it’s a presence. It uplifts and connects but also isolates, radicalizes, and overwhelms. Yet, social media doesn’t invent adolescent pain. It amplifies what’s already there.

The true culprits often lie offline: relentless academic pressure, social bullying, emotional neglect, or home environments that prioritize achievement over empathy. When adults speak only in moments of crisis, the silence before becomes the more deafening harm. We don’t raise resilient teens by scaring them off Instagram; we do it by building trust long before they find........

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