How do you end the stigma around discussing mental health? You speak up, like these 2 Mind HK ambassadors

People who identify as LGBTQ have a higher incidence of mental health issues. Kirsteen, an ambassador for charity Mind HK, says a support network is key

Distrust stemming from childhood made Mina, also an ambassador, anxious and affected her sleep; therapy taught her to trust people and manage her emotions

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It is important to have a network of people around you to affirm who you are and make sure that you always feel like yourself when it comes to overcoming mental health challenges.
Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 6:15pm, 28 Mar 2024Updated: 4:36pm, 29 Mar 2024

In Hong Kong, mental health is becoming less of a taboo subject. Mental health charity Mind HK’s campaign, More Than a Label, is helping to address the stigma about discussing it, and to educate and inform the public.

It recently hosted a storytelling festival, “Conversations of the Heart – Our Mental Health Journeys”, at the Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts. Mind HK ambassadors, using only their first names, shared their personal paths to recovery at the centre in Central on Hong Kong Island.

One, Kirsteen, took part in a panel discussion titled “Intersecting Identities: LGBTQ+ and mental health”, and described coming out to her deeply religious parents while also grappling with mental health issues.

There is a higher incidence of mental health issues in individuals who identify as LGBTQ. Their most common struggles are with depression, anxiety and trauma, and, related to that, substance use and the risk of suicide.

There is a higher incidence of mental health issues in individuals who identify as LGBTQ. Photo: Shutterstock

“We know that a lot of this has to do with the environment and the challenges of living your true self,” says Odile Thiang, Mind HK clinical adviser.

When trans individuals are able to use their chosen name at school, home and in their social groups, studies show a huge decrease in their risk of suicide. This has to do with how society views the LGBTQ community and how accepted they feel.