Teenagers are most stressed due to the COVID-19 crisis
Stress is normal, and it isn’t necessarily bad. In fact, some stress can motivate you and get you ready for action. But it can be unpleasant when it starts dominating your thought process. During this pandemic, teenagers are one of the most vulnerable targets for stress and among the hardest hit from a mental health standpoint. Anxious parents are seeking natural, holistic solutions for mental health for their children and themselves.
Adolescents typically have a heightened reactivity to stress, thought to be the result of hormonal fluctuations and changes in brain development. Pharmactive Biotech, SL, can now offer its affron®, all-natural saffron extract as a holistic solution for mental health for teens and other age groups.
Rising mental health risks for teenagers brought on by extended isolation
- University of Oxford’s study “Achieving Resilience During COVID-19” (ARC) shows that more than one-third of 13 to 18-year-olds reported high levels of loneliness. It also uncovered evidence of loneliness as predicting depression and possible anxiety in the future.
- In a recent survey by the UK-based Young Minds movement of 2,111 young people with a history of mental health problems, more than half reported that the pressure brought on by the COVID-19 crisis made their mental health “a bit worse,” and nearly one third reported that it made their mental health “much worse.”
- A study by UNICEF, Australia, revealed that the threat of the coronavirus and the associated lockdown is damaging the well-being of Australian teenagers, with fewer than half saying they are “coping well.” Almost half of the young people report that COVID-19 has increased their stress and anxiety.
Affron is the first saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) clinically studied on adolescents. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of adolescents aged 12-16 years with mild-to-moderate symptoms, affron, when taken over an 8-week period, improved anxiety and depressive symptoms in the subjects.
Affron possesses a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory impact, which not only could help balance key neurotransmitters levels, such as serotonin and dopamine, but also fights the oxidative stress produced by anxiety and stress in the brain.
“It is important to help teens cope with anxiety and stress by encouraging them to work out regularly, keep a routine, play music, and show them love and support. Combined with daily consumption of affron saffron, it can help pave the way to ease stress and anxiety in teens,” said Julia Díaz Sáez, Head of Marketing for Pharmactive.
