The Success Trap

How the Pressure to Stand Out Is Fueling Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout in Teens--and the Fundamental Fix They Deserve

By: Stuart Slavin

It’s not just the phones. This crucial new investigation into the teen mental health epidemic reveals how rising expectations in school, sports, and daily life have driven unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression—and shows what you can do about it.

Pediatrician, researcher, and former Associate Dean for Curriculum at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Dr. Stuart Slavin draws on his experiences working to reverse burnout and anxiety among high-achieving students to argue that the problem isn’t just technology—it’s the system that demands constant performance. In The Success Trap, he demonstrates how the culture of achievement has become a key contributor to the teen mental health crisis, and how it can be reimagined for better outcomes and greater well-being.

From school and sports to college admissions and parental expectations, young people are navigating an environment where success is demanded at every turn—often at the cost of their well-being. During his tenure as Dean of Curriculum at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Dr. Slavin led a program that resulted in an 80% decrease in rates of depression and anxiety among his medical students—all while improving academic outcomes.

Based on his successes, parents will learn to:

• Teach resilience
• Reduce demands and pressure
• And provide kids with more control, more choice, and more opportunities to find meaning and joy

The Success Trap lays out this same three-pronged approach to improving teen mental health during the critical high school years and beyond—without sacrificing performance or ambition. Drawing on years of clinical expertise and educational research, Dr. Slavin offers gentle, practical guidance for parents, educators, and students themselves to help break the cycle and redefine what true success looks like: not constant achievement, but mentally resilient, healthy, and happy teens.