Issue 05: Hong Kong Youth and their Struggles with Stress

Hong Kong Youth and their Struggles with Stress

Stress in Hong Kong

“I feel hopeless, I don’t know what to do” These words have come out of the mouths of many young people in Hong Kong and it is a troubling issue. This is so crucial in Hong Kong as studies show that around 39% of all primary and secondary students are affected by mental health issues (Save The Children, 2020). This statistic is well above the world average and it is still rising. Moreover this is more prevalent in the current climate due the COVID-19 pandemic pausing face to face learning in schools and other social activities within the youths life. This means young people cannot release stress like they normally would with sports or meeting friends. Stress has impacted the youth of Hong Kong massively since the past year, with 35% of children describing their home working life as very stressful and tense (Save The Children, 2020). Therefore we all need to educate ourselves on stress and how to cope with it.

Is stress good or bad?

Many young people do not actually realise they are stressed due to the fact that they face it so much that they feel it is a normal state for people. Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure. A high level of stress can lead to anxiety and impair our mental wellbeing further.

Untreated stress can be a catalyst to even greater problems, which is when some youth might even take drastic actions. Although a lot of stress can be extremely troublesome, a little bit of stress can actually be beneficial. Stress in small doses can help people be more efficient, this is due to it putting your brain in an optimal state to do tasks such as homework. Furthermore, stress can also boost your memory. When under stress your brain wants to remember and store information as it considers it worth remembering. Overall short term stress can be beneficial, but in the long run stress can be extremely detrimental to your health.

How to identify stress

Now that we know uncontrolled stress can be a big negative force, we need to know how to identify it whether it is affecting someone else or affecting you. Many emotional symptoms such as feelings can be hard to notice as they can be suppressed.

Some byproducts of high stress include – being very moody and getting irritated very easily, feeling like you are not in control of your life, having low self esteem and decrease in socialising. There are also some physical symptoms, such as – Chest pains, insomnia, aches and pains or even just an upset stomach. Overall Stress is not just a mental health issue as it can cause some physical problems as well and therefore the quicker you identify it, the easier it is to help.

How to help someone or get help when dealing with stress

If you notice any of these symptoms above in someone you know whether it is a family member or friend, try to talk to them in a non confrontational manner and be supportive. Offer your help and tell them you’re there to listen. Offer reassurance, stress can cause people to feel overwhelmed and alone and feel like they’re not able to find their way out. Assist them in finding support from professionals and help them also identify their triggers. Triggers are things that can produce negative thoughts in people, if you identify someone’s triggers you can help them to avoid them or even overcome them. Therefore helping some out and just being there for them can really change someone’s life and help them out of the deep hole called stress. The same goes when dealing with stress. Although it may be difficult to admit or find help it is crucial as the longer you go without assistance the worse it can get.