I think its not just kids anymore, it’s adults too. Everyone is glued to their screens these days. But kids are more vulnerable to influences from “social” media and don’t have any defences to the psychological warfare going on. Of course they feel like shit.
Meanwhile my kids and all their classmates seem friendlier and more mentally healthier than I remember school age being. It’s all anecdotal. I’m always surprised at certain ages how some of these kids don’t allow bullying, and aren’t concerned with stupid relationship shit that I remember 20-30 years ago. It’s interesting.
I also know shitloads of adults depressed from Doom scrolling all day.
Your gross generalizations aren’t reality.