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Anniversary of pop icon Leslie Cheung’s death sparks concerns about depression in China

  • Leslie Cheung suffered from severe depression, prompting discussions about mental health on the Chinese internet 
  • Experts said it is difficult to receive proper mental health treatment in China

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The anniversary of the death of Leslie Cheung led to much of the Chinese internet discussing their own personal battles with mental health. Illustration: Tom Leung
A growing conversation about mental health, sparked by the 18th anniversary of the death of a music icon, highlighted an unmet need for accessible and affordable mental health care in China.
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On April 1, 2003, Leslie Cheung, a Canto-pop superstar, award-winning actor and gay icon, committed suicide after suffering from severe depression. 

It was always a poignant moment to commemorate the musical legend, but this year, people also openly talked about their own mental health. 

Fans lay flowers to honour deceased pop star Leslie Cheung in 2021. Photo: Sam Tsang
Fans lay flowers to honour deceased pop star Leslie Cheung in 2021. Photo: Sam Tsang

“When I was living with severe depression, every time I mention it to my loved ones, they would always shut me down and tell me to stop overthinking,” said a Weibo commentator. 

Another person wrote, “No clinical diagnose, but I am very certain that I was living with depression for a while. During that time, I felt anxious and felt like the whole world was working against me. No matter what I did, I could not accomplish my goals.” 

Christina Wang, a mental health counsellor in Shanghai, said, “Many Chinese people feel they have to have depression to go to a therapist. That should not be the case.”

Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui in a still from ‘Rouge’ (1988), directed by Stanley Kwan. Photo: Handout
Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui in a still from ‘Rouge’ (1988), directed by Stanley Kwan. Photo: Handout

Depression patients need both medication and psychotherapy, but most Chinese people are forced to choose between two unideal plans.

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