December 2013 – Hong Kong’s Mental Health Woes

Mental illness strikes one in three people in Hong Kong, yet it is often either hidden or sensationalised. People with mental health problems suffer from social stigma and a lack of psychiatric and social services.

The December issue of Varsity looks at some of the issues surrounding mental health in Hong Kong:

Hong Kong lags behind other developed economies when it comes to the provision of pyschiatric services and other forms of care for people with mental health problems. We find out how this affects the lives of those with mental illness.

The elderly are particularly susceptible to mental health problems, of both physiological and psychological nature, yet their problems are often overlooked. We hear how this can have disastrous consequences.

Research shows that family members are vital in the recovery of people with mental illness. Yet carers of people with mental illness are often under great emotional and psychological pressure themselves, with few public resources to support them. We ask, who cares for the carers?