Opinion | Hong Kong must invest in mental health to protect its greatest wealth

From depression to anxiety, Covid-19 has worsened mental health worldwide, and Hong Kong in particular is suffering

Improvements are urgently needed, from a better public health system to expanded youth support and an end to stigma

Reading Time:3 minutes

Children take part in setting a World Guinness record for the largest display of picture frames, in an event to raise mental health awareness, at Ocean Park on November 16. We need to have earlier conversations about mental health with both students and parents to destigmatise the taboo of mental disorders. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 8:15am, 2 Dec 2022

The human brain is wired for certainty and clings to routine. It finds comfort in the familiar. Uncertainty in our lives creates anxiety. Covid-19 has injected so much uncertainty into our lives: Will I test positive and have to self-isolate? Will schools shut down suddenly? Will Hong Kong tighten social distancing measures again?

The pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues globally, adding stressors into our lives while restricting the availability of support and services. According to the World Health Organization, Covid-19 triggered a 25 per cent increase in the prevalance of anxiety and depression worldwide in the first year. Other research suggests a prevalence of 28 per cent for depression and 27 per cent for anxiety.

The numbers are mind-boggling. Close to 1 billion people live with a mental health disorder. Every 40 seconds, someone dies by suicide. Among 15-29 year olds, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death.

Hong Kong’s numbers are just as disturbing. Nearly two out of every three adults suffer from poor mental well-being. More than half of all secondary school students show symptoms of depression, and a quarter have clinically high levels of anxiety. One in four workers suffer from symptoms of depression and anxiety – 2.5 times the global average.

In a fast-paced, congested city where people live on top of one another, it may not surprise that people here have less-than-optimal mental health. Add an unhealthy work culture, one of the world’s longest working hours and a lack of work-life balance, and we have a disaster in the making.

But perhaps the most troubling figure is that 74 per cent of mental health sufferers here do not seek professional help. This may be due to a fear of stigma, a perception of mental health disorders as being a lack of self-discipline and willpower rather than an actual illness, or a less-than-robust mental health support ecosystem.

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