Anson Yim,Joyce LiuandPaul Yip

Opinion | In brewing mental health crisis, Hong Kong must help its youth speak up about their troubles

Recent student deaths and yet another alarming report about the state of youth mental health should push the community to work harder at providing non-judgmental support for our young

With many suffering in silence, parents, teachers and classmates must all play a role in noticing who’s at risk and offer support

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A child plays among Roly-poly toys at Kowloon Park in Tsim Sha Tsui on April 27, 2019, as part of a display meant to raise public awareness of students’ mental health. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Anson Yim,Joyce LiuandPaul Yip

Published: 9:30am, 22 Oct 2023

Since the start of the new school year, there has been a distressing increase in student deaths across Hong Kong, affecting young people from primary school all the way through to university. The situation is similar to the suicide cluster of 2016. These tragic incidents are a desperate plea for help and highlight the urgent need to address young people’s emotional well-being.

The online emotional support system Open Up conducts an annual survey to track changes in their well-being. The latest annual telephone survey took place from August to November last year, interviewing 1,502 young people in Hong Kong aged between 11 and 35.

The survey revealed that 19 per cent and 18 per cent of the respondents were classified as suffering from depression and anxiety, respectively. These alarming statistics underscore the urgent need for change, not just in the school curriculum but also the mindset of parents and young people’s attitudes towards seeking help.

The same survey also revealed an increase in suicidal ideation, self-injury and suicide attempts among the younger generation. In particular, the number of youth with suicidal ideation increased from 9.36 per cent in 2021 to 21.66 per cent in 2022.

In addition, we have observed a shift in their help-seeking behaviour in recent years. According to the Open Up survey, friends and family members remain the most frequently sought sources of support.

However, many people hesitate to reach out because of concerns about burdening others or not knowing how to broach sensitive topics. This could explain the increasing use of online counselling services such as Open Up.

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