THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
China’s economy is facing a number of challenges – a property crisis, steep public debt as well as rising youth unemployment rates, all of which have taken a toll on both economic and mental health.
Mental health remains a growing issue in the country – with reports of people feeling stressed, burnt out, anxious and depressed. Experts have also cited issues like rising costs of living, high unemployment rates and the lack of state support amid a turbulent economy still in post-pandemic recovery.
“Chinese society is under significant stress due to a slowing economy, uncertain future and an unstable global climate,” said Mr Bram, who also stressed that it was “hard to generalise across a population as large as that of China”.
The long tail of the COVID-19 pandemic and public mistrust caused by the government’s harsh lockdowns “contributed to a sense of hopelessness amongst many in society”, he added.
The Blue Book of National Depression, published by the Chinese Academy of Science in 2022, found that for every one million people in China, only 20 had proper access to mental health services – as compared to 1,000 Americans (per million) who enjoyed those benefits and support in the US.
Experts like Dr Zhao suggested more proactive approaches to promote mental health awareness and encourage empathy. “The role of social support systems is crucial,” he said. “When individuals lack effective avenues to cope with stress or resolve disputes, their frustrations may accumulate to a breaking point.”
But there was also still strong social stigma around treatment and seeking help.
“Stigma often prevents individuals from seeking help, leading many to suffer in silence or keep their struggles within the family,” said Dr Jared Ng, a psychiatrist and also the Medical Director of Connections MindHealth, a clinic in Singapore which provides mental health services to a diverse clientele, including Chinese students studying abroad.
Limited access to care is another challenge, Dr Ng added.
“Psychological support services are concentrated in urban centres like major cities but rural areas have far fewer resources,” he said, adding that early detection and intervention was also crucial in preventing violent episodes.
“Socio-economic stressors can push individuals to their breaking point and when combined with substances like drugs or alcohol, these pressures can escalate into extreme actions including harm to themselves or others.”
Psychological support alone cannot solve the deep rooted issues, other experts said.
“Would increased psychological support be a good thing in this case? Of course,” said Mr Bram. “(But) would it have prevented these instances of social violence altogether? Possibly not, as the dynamics involved are both specific and complex.”
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