Nearly 3 years of Covid curbs take their toll on China’s middle class with many seeking counselling

For millions of families in China, the pandemic has shattered their middle-class life amid strict Covid controls and lockdowns which have seriously damaged the economy. A national survey in 2020 found that 35 per cent of respondents had experienced psychological distress during the pandemic, including anxiety and depression. Psychological counselling firms have seen a growing demand for services. Guo Xina is one of the thousands of people who sought help at the height of the pandemic. She healed her family tensions through the counselling service and later began taking psychology courses to learn how to give back and help others.