A woman leaves flowers on June 6 near where three girls died in Sham Shui Po. Photo: Jelly Tse
Opinion
Alice Wu
Alice Wu
Hong Kong’s mental health crisis demands the attention of everyone
Recent killings have put mental health, and the stigma associated with it, back in the spotlight and society needs to come together to deal with the traumas
Government efforts to address growing mental health concerns are welcome, but they don’t go far enough
The killings in Diamond Hill and Sham Shui Po that occurred just days apart last week have rocked Hong Kong. The two tragedies could not be more different. One was a seemingly random attack where the victims did not know the suspect; the other involved a mother who allegedly suffocated her three daughters.
However, the incidents have put mental health front and centre once again in the city. As a community, we must take this on together.
The government has an important and leading role to play, of course, allocating resources and setting policy priorities to ensure that mental healthcare and support are accessible.
Even in the best of times, resources are finite. The worst of times, such as the three years of the Covid-19 pandemic, demanded that the focus of our health authorities was on fighting the virus. This meant disruptions to healthcare, including mental healthcare, services and more. Meanwhile, the disruptions brought on by the pandemic – prolonged isolation, repeated school suspensions, business closures, loss of jobs, fear of infection and so on – created an unprecedented global mental health crisis.
The world has faced a double whammy amid the pandemic, with an increase in the prevalence of mental health issues that coincided with disruptions to mental health services. According to the World Health Organization, the pandemic triggered at least a 25 per cent increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide.
The mental toll of simply surviving is huge. Hong Kong experienced what researchers have called a “crisis level” in its suicide index during the pandemic. The city’s suicide rate for children under 15 hit record levels in 2021. The number of Hong Kong students with mental health problems more than doubled from four years ago, surpassing 1,400, during this past school year.
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Abby Choi murder: seventh suspect arrested in mainland China, recovery of body parts continues
Abby Choi murder: seventh suspect arrested in mainland China, recovery of body parts continues
We must recognise the steps the government has taken to address the growing mental health concerns, such as the establishment of the much-needed Advisory Committee on Mental Health in 2017. It brought together relevant bureaus and departments, the Hospital Authority, experts, NGOs and patients groups to collaborate so patients and communities receive the support they need.
This isn’t enough, though. Meeting mental health needs and the perennial problem of a shortage of staff who can get patients and their families the care and support they require is a persistent uphill battle. Hector Tsang Wing-hong, interim director of Polytechnic University’s Mental Health Research Centre and a psychosocial health professor, says the committee’s reviews on mental health policies are not comprehensive enough and most of the resources lean towards public hospitals.
There is undoubtedly a lot of catch-up work to be done. Even so, that shouldn’t take away from the important work the committee has done, most visibly in its public awareness campaigns that aim to reduce the stigma for those who suffer from mental illnesses.
We must be conscious of how the two recent tragedies could set back these efforts. Stigmatising mental health patients could deter them from getting the help they need. The Red Cross has raised that concern, having received calls for help from people with mental illness who expressed concern about how they would be labelled.
Here is where we can all do our part in helping the city to come to terms with the trauma and loss of innocent lives: simply by being mindful of what we say. Not insulting people by calling them “mental” would be a good start.
Members of the public pay tribute on June 3 at the scene where two people were stabbed to death by an assailant at a shopping centre in Diamond Hill. Photo: AP
Accepting that we are all vulnerable to the stresses of daily life – whether in academic pursuits, work or with family – will enable us to be better aware of our own mental well-being and that of loved ones. Being aware of the need for self-care can help us maintain better health. Exercise, sleep, and a healthy diet can all go a long way to helping us physically and mentally.
The government must come to terms with the impact of its policy on residents’ mental health, and this is not something it can delegate to a commission. The Sham Shui Po family tragedy speaks again to the lack of opportunities and support for non-Chinese-speaking ethnic minority groups. Meanwhile, our students continue to buckle under academic pressure.
Alice Wu is a political consultant and a former associate director of the Asia Pacific Media Network at UCLA
