According to a 2023 survey by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, nearly one in four children and adolescents in Hong Kong suffered from at least one mental illness in the past year, and more than 8% of secondary school students have considered suicide. Gan Haining (top left) attends a “Peace of Mind” rally at the China International School in Hong Kong. Photo: Gan Haining Researchers also found that nearly half of parents were reluctant to seek professional help for their children with mental illness. Some parents did not understand the seriousness of their child’s symptoms, while others feared others’ judgment. Some did not know where to turn for help. Moreover, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among people aged 15-29, according to the World Health Organization. Hong Kong’s teen suicide rate is 12.2 per 100,000 people aged 15-24 in 2022, the highest among developed countries. Vivienne, a youth ambassador for Hong Kong mental health charity Mind HK, who asked to use only her real name, highlights how loneliness is exacerbating mental health issues among Hong Kong’s Gen Z. [high achievement] is the standard, so you have to be at that level all the time, and a big part of that is burnout, which kids in Hong Kong often experience. Hyning Gan, developer of Peace of Mind, a mental health advocacy group
“Social media exposes young people to so much at once and creates high expectations about achieving certain milestones by a certain age, such as graduating from college, starting a career, meeting a partner or owning a home.”
This contributes to burnout and feelings of inadequacy, she says.
Those who study Gen Z describe them as driven, practical, highly sociable, confident and down-to-earth. For those struggling with mental health issues, this means taking responsibility for their problems to help themselves and others.
We met two Gen Z advocates who are recovering from mental health issues and are showing others how to open up about their struggles and find the help they need.
Gan Haining, 19, is the founder of Peace of Mind, a student-led mental health advocacy group. Photo: Gan Haining 19-year-old Gan Haining knows all too well the burden of Hong Kong’s high academic standards. Diagnosed with depression and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a disorder that interferes with the ability to concentrate and regulate emotions and behaviour), she faced great academic stress and competition as a student at Chinese International School (CIS).
She says, “If [high achievement] “It’s the norm, so you have to be at that level all the time, and a big part of that is burnout. Kids in Hong Kong experience that a lot. Between school, lessons, activities and then going home, where do you have time to reflect on how you’re feeling?”
In 2020, when Gunn was in Grade 11, she attended a symposium on youth mental health, where she met students and learned about how their schools were addressing mental health issues, and realized her school was lacking in student-led mental health initiatives.
While school counselors were available to students, many found asking for help too formal and didn’t want to be stigmatized. Gan found talking to peers was a more comfortable and easy first step.
My biggest piece of advice would be to talk more with your friends and your community. Having more conversations with your peers is a process that will eliminate stigma. [mental illness]Katie Yu, Instagram wellness influencer
This prompted Gunn to start a student-led mental health advocacy group called Peace of Mind, which works with the Student Union to organise a mental health week for people to talk.
“We wanted to encourage conversations about mental health, not just with posters but by letting people know what support is available in schools,” she says.
Peace of Mind has established a proactive social media presence, using Instagram infographics to explain how to achieve work-life balance, address academic burnout, understand intergenerational trauma, and more.
The organization aims to make mental health terminology more accessible and understandable, encouraging students to seek help without feeling stigmatized.
“Definitely lean on your peers for personal support because they’re going through the exact same thing,” Gunn says. [your need for support] We’re starting a conversation.”
Katie Yu shares her self-love guide on her Instagram account. Photo: instagram.com/katie.eu Katie Yu, 24, a wellness influencer and Masters in Behavioral Science student at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the UK, has been through her own rollercoaster mental health journey.
Yu’s turning point came when she moved to Southern California in the US as a teenager, where she found the support she needed and began therapy at the age of 18. Her road to recovery accelerated from there.
Social media has played a key role in this. Yu started posting on Instagram when she was 11 (instagram/katie.eu) and took a break before returning during the pandemic. Having just finished inpatient treatment, she decided to openly share her journey as another step in her recovery. Katie Yu’s advice is to talk more with friends and your community. “We thrive on connection. We thrive on community,” she says. Photo: Katie Yu
“Hundreds of people came back and said, ‘Wow, we missed you,’ so that was really nice,” she says.
While social media can exacerbate symptoms of mental illness, especially among Gen Z, Yu’s platform offers a refreshing take on using it for good.
Her content has evolved into a wellness and accountability journal with feel-good images, how-tos, and lengthy captions explaining the topics she’s discussed in therapy or issues she’s working through. She also has a podcast on Instagram called solidaritypod.
Her positive message has resonated with over 130,000 people on Instagram, and her social media pages have grown into their own community, offering support and encouragement from her followers.
Balancing her mental health, social media activity and academic pursuits is a constant challenge for her, and Yu stresses the importance of prioritizing her time and pursuits.
By quitting watching TV shows and focusing on reading, she was able to create content that reflected what she was learning about mental health and personal well-being.
“My biggest piece of advice is to talk more with your friends and your community,” Yu said. “Having more conversations with your peers is a process that helps to eliminate stigma.” [mental illness]We thrive on connections, we thrive on community.”
Gan and Yu’s stories highlight the power of community and resilience in tackling mental health issues. Their efforts inspire hope for a future where mental health is prioritized and seeking help is the norm.
If you are having suicidal thoughts or know someone who is, help is available. In Hong Kong, dial the government-run mental health support hotline at +852 18111, Samaritans at +852 2896 0000, or Suicide Prevention Services at +852 2382 0000. In the US, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or chatting at 988lifeline.org.
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