‘Their mental health is suffering’: why young people in Hong Kong are feeling the strain, and tips on self-care
- Fostering positive mental health and resilience is one of the key topics of an upcoming three-day event on mental health and young people in Hong Kong
- ‘Youth in Hong Kong have been challenged a lot in the past year and their mental health is suffering,’ says organiser Mind HK’s Odile Thiang
Mental health charity Mind Hong Kong’s upcoming conference will focus on one simple issue: that 75 per cent of all mental health problems arise before the age of 24.
“If we are serious about tackling the future of mental health, we need to start by targeting young people. That’s the most important path to prevention, it’s taking a longer-term view,” says Odile Thiang, anti-stigma projects coordinator at Mind HK.
The two-day “Hong Kong Mental Health Conference 2020: Youth in Focus” begins on November 6 and is aimed at professionals and educators. It will run online and in person, and will feature 60 international and local speakers.
Dr Hannah Reidy, CEO of Mind HK, says the added stressors that have come with Covid-19 mean the need to invest in improved prevention initiatives and early intervention programmes for Hong Kong’s youth is more important than ever.
