Why mental health awareness should start in Hong Kong schools and companies
Study by non-profit group calls for government and employers to tackle taboo and misconceptions through education
In Hong Kong, where life moves at breakneck speed and the high cost of living means enormous stress for those who fall through society’s cracks, tens of thousands suffer from mental illness.
According to a new survey, the city needs to do more to educate its young on mental well-being and stamp out the taboo and stereotypes associated with those who suffer from mental illness.
The study, by non-profit group OCD and Anxiety Support Hong Kong, calls on the government to “take an active role” in incentivising companies to improve workers’ mental wellness, in a city notorious for having some of the longest working hours in the world.
Simulation in Hong Kong hospital will let people experience how disruptive mental illness can be
The study included findings from 190 participants aged 10 to 80 who took part in a survey last October on the level of mental health awareness and education in the city. Some 164 of the respondents were Hong Kong residents.
About 60 per cent said there were no measures in their workplaces to raise awareness about mental health.
But most students surveyed – 11 out of 16 – said their schools took steps to address mental health matters. Minal Mahtani, founder and chief executive officer of OCD and Anxiety Support Hong Kong, says this could be in response to recent incidents.
