Welcome to Nobody Told Me. I'm Laura Owens and I'm Jan Black.

Parents, school nurses, and guidance counselors will tell you that girls these days are more

anxious and more prone to depression and self-harming than ever before.

On this episode, we'll explore why that's happening and what can be done about it.

Our guest is award-winning journalist Donna Jackson Nakazawa, author of the new book,

Girls on the Brink, helping our daughters thrive in an era of increased anxiety, depression, and social

media.

Donna, we thank you so much for joining us.

Such a pleasure to be here with you both.

Tell us what prompted you to write this book.

I mean, obviously, it's a huge topic, but why did it speak to you?

Well, I'm a science journal and often things are personal and

professional. So there are really three reasons that I came to this to this book, which as you know,

is years of researching and reporting. One is my own daughter struggled greatly during her

adolescence. And that is her story to tell

and not mine. So I know you guys are a mother-daughter. And that's really her story. But as she

went through that, I realized that in today's world of overwhelm, and she's still quite young,

I did not have the tools that I needed to help her through the world we're living in. This world is really different than the world that

we as moms grew up in. I just didn't have what I needed to be the parent I wanted to be

for this beautiful child I love. Number two is that I report

on neurobiology and immunology and psychology. I've written a few books, right? A lot of people

know my book, Childhood Disrupted or the Angel and the Assassin.

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