More than half of Hong Kong youths suffer from symptoms of depression

More than half of secondary school students showed signs of depression, according to a recent survey by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups.

The common symptoms included difficulty concentrating, becoming annoyed easily and being unable to sleep well. 

The youth group interviewed some 5,500 students from Secondary 1 to Secondary 6 in September and found over 50 percent exhibited symptoms of depression.

In addition, around 42 percent of the students were found to have a high stress levels since the new school year started. The result has slightly improved from the 46 percent figure from a 2022 survey. 

From last September to this year's August, HKFYG had received nearly 29,000 requests for help mostly relating to students' emotional issues and school life. 

The organization believes that the slight decrease in students' stress levels is a positive development. 

However, it added that as students make their transition from online classes back to physical classrooms, they will need to readjust.

The federation encourages students to pay more attention to their emotional, psychological, and social well-being and to timely address any negative emotions.