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Veteran Shenzhen psychiatrist Li Site gives advice to those struggling with the emotional fallout from the worsening financial crisis. While anxiety is a natural response,  he says, counselling can help people survive psychologically.
Have you seen more patients since the onset of the global economic crisis?
Yes. A global financial crisis can cause emotional distress in large numbers of people or sometimes depression in investors  and businesspeople. One of my clients, a middle-aged investor  cured of an anxiety disorder five years ago, has recently turned to me again since the global slowdown. It's a difficult time and it's appropriate to be anxious. But there's something we can do other than just panic.
My suggestion is to try not to stress about money, switch your attention away from the gloom and doom in the  media. Focus on what  you control and look for  a possible solution. But there's no quick fix for people coming for help about money. Usually, problems go much deeper. It's a portal into unresolved problems in their families, career and other parts of life.
Why is professional advice necessary?
Professional advice can't salvage investments  or offer a job to unemployed workers, but it enables you to develop appropriate coping skills.
In the past 12 months, Shenzhen emergency rooms have given first aid to more than 440 people who attempted suicide, and health authorities estimate that 20 per cent of those who called anti-suicide hotlines have thought of or planned suicide.
Only a few patients  turn to psychologists because the public have a longstanding misunderstanding about psychiatry. Some believe the symptoms of depression will gradually ease if patients share their anxiety with others and change their way of thinking. That's wrong. Actually, patients can't control their degree of depression because biological, psychological and social factors all play a role. For example, some brain changes can reduce the level of serotonin, a chemical  that helps cope with emotions.
When heredity factors or chemical imbalances in the brain combine with social factors like a financial crisis, major career setbacks or bad relationships, people will be more likely to suffer from  depression. A mental disorder is treatable and certain medications can alter the levels of serotonin and alleviate the symptoms of depression.
When should frustrated investors  seek professional help?
[If they have] symptoms, including persistent sadness, difficulty sleeping and difficulty concentrating, they  should immediately seek help if the symptoms impair  social, occupational or other important areas of their life. Remember, you can't reduce symptoms of chronic depression.  Just like a headache or fever, you can't lower your temperature simply because you want to.
What's the treatment?
Psychiatrists will make the diagnosis based on the person's symptoms after a thorough medical evaluation. To treat depression, doctors may use counselling, medication such as antidepressants or a combination of these.  Early diagnosis and  treatment are likely to reduce the intensity and duration of depression  and also reduce the likelihood of a relapse.
Those suffering an emotional crisis  could also benefit from healthy lifestyle habits such as eating a well-balanced diet, getting regular exercise, avoiding alcohol and smoking, and being with close friends and family members for strong social support.
Why do some people suffer less, emotionally, in an economic crisis?
Biological, psychological and social factors all affect a person's ability  to cope with emotional setbacks. These may involve  genes, brain formation, family background, relationships, experience, careers. Some will dwell on the negative news and continually feel anxious amid the economic crisis, but others will not. We call this the psychological defence mechanism.
What's your secret to coping emotionally after dealing with these problems eight hours a day?
I never think of psychiatry after work. It's important to leave your worries over work and career at the office.



Helping victims of the global financial crisis