#Adolescentpsychology

A new wellness phenomenon, dubbed the “crunchy teen” trend, is taking hold among adolescents worldwide, with many Thai parents and educators beginning to notice the ripple effects at home. While this movement—which promotes a nature-focused, supposedly “clean” approach to eating—may sound healthy on the surface, recent expert warnings highlight an alarming rise in misinformation, extreme food beliefs, and real health risks linked to its practices. A leading family medicine specialist from Kaiser Permanente in Fairfax, Virginia, recently told US media that these trends could set off a new wave of disordered eating and anxiety among teenagers seeking dietary “perfection” rather than balance (wtop.com).

A recent psychological study has found that adolescents who experienced adversity in childhood are more likely to respond with unwarranted fear to safe situations, revealing key insights into the long-term mental health risks faced by vulnerable Thai youths. Researchers discovered that teens exposed to early stressors such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction show greater difficulty distinguishing between safe and threatening cues, leading to heightened physiological and emotional reactions in everyday life. These findings, published in the prestigious Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, may help to explain the rising rates of anxiety and depression among Thai adolescents and underscore the urgent need for culturally sensitive mental health interventions (PsyPost.org, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry).