Hong Kong must tackle roots of youth mental health crisis

The mental health problems faced by the young, leading in extreme cases to suicide, are a long-standing issue experienced widely around the world. But they remain a source of deep public concern, requiring constant attention.

Time spent on social media can limit their ability to develop much-needed people skills and can expose them to cyberbullying or other harmful content. Many are becoming emotionally attached to artificial intelligence.

The pressure to achieve academic excellence is intense, notably in Hong Kong and mainland China. Forging a career is becoming more difficult with youth unemployment on the rise in many parts of the world. There is a need for greater awareness of the problem.

In Hong Kong, the government introduced a three-tier scheme to identify and help secondary school pupils who are at risk in December 2023 and extended it to primary schools this year. Supporting those in danger is vital. But there is also a need to tackle the causes of depression, anxiety and other forms of mental illness among the young. The government has launched various campaigns and policies aimed at creating a healthier environment in schools, involving students, teachers and parents.

There needs to be a change of culture, away from the obsessive pursuit of excellent exam results and towards the nurturing of a more caring and compassionate environment where students of all academic abilities can thrive and be happy.