Lai-Moy Carman Wong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Title: Mental health of youth in Hong Kong
Biography
Biography: Lai-Moy Carman Wong
Abstract
The golden period of development for youths is between the ages of 12 and 24, a period that is also generally recognized as adolescence and young adult. This is an important stage of development in which young people encounter many physical and psychological changes and adaptations. These learning experiences and challenges also affect how adolescents enter adulthood. If youths can successfully overcome their physical, psychological, and life changes and challenges, good mental health will be promoted. Previous researches show that among mentally ill adults, disorder onset for 50% of patients was prior to age 14, and disorder onset for 75% of patients was prior to age 24. Another study from Hong Kong indicated that 16.4% of secondary school students in Hong Kong showed symptoms consistent with the diagnosis of mental illness; 1.3% suffered from depressive disorders; and 6.9% suffered from anxiety disorders. This paper presents discussions on the mental health issues included early psychosis, depression, anxiety disorders, suicide, drug abuse, and internet addiction of youths in Hong Kong which also attracted social concern in Hong Kong. The aforementioned mental health issues cannot be ignored and should get social concern. This presentation attempts to present prevalent mental health issues among youths in Hong Kong and suggests early intervention and the active promotion of community education about youth mental health. It also recommends various supports from family, education, medical, and social service perspectives.