Jaya Bachchan blames internet for rise in anxiety, Shweta Bachchan counters "It has always existed"

In a resurfaced episode of What The Hell Navya, hosted by Navya Naveli Nanda, a candid family discussion took an unexpected turn when veteran actress and parliamentarian Jaya Bachchan blamed the internet for rising anxiety levels among young people. Speaking with her granddaughter Navya and daughter Shweta Bachchan, Jaya sparked debate with her bold statements on modern mental health issues.

Jaya expressed deep concern about how the digital world, particularly social media, is impacting the mental well-being of the younger generation. She argued that constant engagement with phones and the internet leads to increased pressure and a growing need for validation.

“Navya, what happens among your generation is that ‘answer to the calls quickly, reply to texts quickly’. You get your validation from what you see on the internet and your phone," Jaya said. “Are we looking nice? Are we thinking correctly? If you are saying the right thing? All this increases your stress levels.”

When Navya asked if she believed the internet was directly linked to rising stress and anxiety, Jaya responded firmly, “Definitely.” She emphasized that the concept of anxiety attacks was virtually unknown during her younger years. “We hadn’t heard of an anxiety attack when we were kids. Let alone our childhood, we never heard it in our midlife also,” she remarked.