WATCH: Dr. Phil Stuns ‘The View’ Hosts with Eye-Opening Remarks, Receives a Round of Applause

On Monday, renowned psychologist and television personality Dr. Phil McGraw took the hosts of “The View” to schooI in a discussion on the impact of the CO VID-19 pandemic on children. He particularly focused his argument on students’ mental health and the consequences of prolonged school closures.

Dr. Phil traced the onset of a troubling trend back to the late 2000s, pinpointing the arrival of smartphones as a pivotal moment.

“Like ’08, ’09, smartphones came on and kids started, they stopped Iiving their lives and started watching people live their lives,” he said.

The shift, according to Dr. Phil, marked the beginning of “the biggest spike and the highest levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and suicidality since records have ever been kept.” The conversation took a more criticaI turn as Dr. Phil scrutinized the decision to shut down schools in response to the pandemic.

“Who takes away the support system for these children? Who takes them away and shuts it down?” he questioned.