Over the course of her practice, the author observed many teenage patients, from affluent households, with excellent grades in school, extracurricular involvement and an appearance of thriving in their environment. According to Levine, many of these teens suffered debilitating neuroses, such as anxiety, depression, drug addiction, anorexia, and self-harm.
This passage describes the observation of affluent teens who appear successful but suffer from debilitating mental health issues. The author's observations are contrasted with Levine's findings about these teens' struggles.