Beneath the Hong Kong protests, a mental-health time bomb is ticking as fear and mistrust grow

It is impossible to estimate the impact of Hong Kong’s recent period of unrest, or how long it will take to repair the city. Perhaps physical damage to buildings and MTR systems can be fixed relatively quickly. Healing family divisions may take longer. Restoring trust throughout the community could take years. Maybe the same goes for our international reputation as a stable and safe place.

And then there is the mental health cost. Mental health has long been one of Hong Kong’s more serious social problems. Our high-pressure work environment and education system add to stress and anxiety, while our culture discourages openness about depression and other personal problems. Our suicide rate is one of the highest in Asia – which, as a region, has the highest rate in the world.

Our mental health resources are also widely recognised as being inadequate. For example, we have barely a third of the number of psychiatrists per 100,000 people compared with Britain.

The events of the past few months have put us all under greater stress. Regardless of our political beliefs, many of us are surely experiencing more anger. I make a point of not watching 24-hour news too frequently to avoid hearing the same bitter arguments and accusations over and over again. Social media and fake news have added to this, and there has been a widespread rise in mistrust and fear.

Several incidents, notably the Yuen Long attack on July 21, have shaken public confidence in the police and government. Acts of violence by protesters, involving petrol bombs and mob attacks on bystanders, have increased the impression that law and order is breaking down.

It seems that many people are starting to believe rumours and conspiracy theories. There are wild claims on social media insisting that people were killed at Prince Edward MTR station on August 31, even though the fire brigade, ambulance services and MTR sources have said this is untrue.

After a 15-year-old girl’s body was found in the sea, similar rumours began that she had been killed. Her school was accused of a cover-up and vandalised. When her grieving mother pleaded for people to accept that she was not murdered, she was subjected to harassment.

There are other rumours, that hidden masterminds are organising the protest movement, that Mandarin-speaking police are being deployed, and that there are infiltrators on both sides.

Mental health, the victim on all sides of Hong Kong’s crisis

You may or may not believe some of these things yourself. The point is that, in such an atmosphere, people are not sure what to believe. They do not know who to trust, and they no longer feel safe.

There has been doxxing of activists and police officers – and these people’s family members. This must put unbearable strain on spouses and children.

For some individuals who have been exposed to violence and physical danger – such as front-line police officers, activists, journalists and hospital workers – there is a real possibility of post-traumatic stress disorder.

I wonder what the longer-term impact of all this will be on the mental state of many people. Are we going to see a deterioration of young people’s academic scores? Will we see permanent breakdowns in family and work relationships? Will more people suffer mood disorders and depression? Will there be a greater use of alcohol or sleeping pills? Will our suicide rate go up?

We need better transparency and greater credibility in government communications. Only by being open can officials counteract rumours and restore trust.

We can all help by not creating anxiety or stirring up hatred by passing on alarming but unverified videos and reports. We can also try to understand one another. A group called The Forward Alliance is organising a forum called Ways Forward: Let’s Talk & Listen on November 16 to encourage just that.

The Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists has issued tips on maintaining mental well-being. One is to find activities to do yourself or with your family to take everyone’s minds off the troubles. The college also advises us not to watch live-streaming and other instant sources of unverified information – try to keep things in perspective and read trustworthy news later.

Hong Kong is famous for being resilient and recovering from setbacks. Getting past the impact on mental health may be its biggest challenge.

Bernard Chan is convenor of Hong Kong's Executive Council