According to official statistics, the number of children and adolescents being treated for mental illness in public hospitals has increased by more than 50 percent from 18,900 in 2011-12 to 28,800 in 2015-16.
A total of 88 percent of Hong Kong parents said they received inadequate government support.
A large proportion of Hong-Kong children are very unhappy and depressed at school, an estimated 50 to 60 percent of schoolchildren have depressed thoughts. We all need to play like grown-ups and say, no we are not going to keep quiet and go with the cultural pressure to brush this under the carpet.
According to Hong-Kong parents, the government has failed to tackle the "root causes" of declining mental health among young people, and this has consequently resulted in a "vicious circle" in which parents are pushed to the brink of emotional breakdowns.
Good therapy is hard to find, in Hong-Kong, therapy costs HK$2,200 for a 55-minute session. This means that only the rich can afford therapy.
The average employee makes HKD373,866 per year, and when you factor in rent (HK$27,143) and utilities (HK8620$), there just isn't any room. What's worse in Hong Kong is the inability to talk to your friend about how you're feeling, the much greater sense of isolation.
For the local community talking about mental-health is frowned upon. In Hong-Kong, it means that there is something wrong with your whole family; so students end up without help. We need to reduce the stigma and encourage people to seek out the best therapy they can afford. Hopefully, it won't be too much so more people will.
If you are feeling stressed or in need of support, contact Samaritan Befrienders' 24-hour hotline on 2389 2222
(sources: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2097852/hong-kong-children-suffer-greater-mental-stress,
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/06/26/hkfps-comprehensive-guide-to-mental-health-services-in-hong-kong/,
https://www.payscale.com/research/HK/Location=Hong-Kong/Salary )
