With the increasing number of individuals experiencing mental disorders, mental health has emerged as a critical public health and social problem in China. Despite the progress China’s government has made in increasing access to mental health services, the country still grapples with deep-seated challenges related to mental health care. This article will explore the historical and cultural context of mental health in China, the current state of mental health care, key challenges, and potential solutions to this growing crisis.
Historical and Cultural Context
Historically, mental health in China has been covered by stigma and misconceptions. Traditional Chinese views often associate mental health with weakness, laziness, bad genetics, or moral disruption (Shu et al.). Confucianism and Taoism both regard mental illness as a failure to eliminate individual desires (Wang). This leads to widespread discrimination against those affected by mental health as it is believed that they have failed to fulfill the ideal. The stigma that those who suffer from mental health have a faulty personality or moral defects prevents individuals from seeking out help. This is proven by a survey conducted by Tianjin Mental Health which concluded that the participants would hold a negative attitude towards former mental patients and most participants weren’t familiar with the causes, treatments, and prevention of mental illness (Yin et al.)
Growing Concern for Mental Health After the Covid-19 Lockdown
However, there has been a recent shift in attitudes toward mental health following reports of increased mental health issues after the Covid-19 lockdown. The Lancet reported that “According to the first national survey on psychological distress in the COVID-19 epidemic in China from 2020, 35% of respondents experienced distress, including anxiety and depression.” This stemmed from the control policies, the pandemic itself, and isolation. The pandemic caused many traditional festivals to be shut down, preventing people from interacting with their community.
Modern Challenges
More and More citizens of China have recognized how important mental health is, but there still needs to be an increase in mental health facilities to support the people of China. For a population of 173 million people in China that has a diagnosable psychiatric disorder, there are only 4000 psychiatrists in China who are fully qualified, and the majority of mental health care resources are concentrated in cities, even though two-thirds of the nation’s residents live in rural areas (Xiang et al.). When an individual decides to seek health for their mental illness, these factors can make it challenging and further discourage them.
Progress
Although China has a long road ahead to improving the country’s mental health, the country seems to be headed in a positive direction. Implementing comprehensive mental health policies and increasing funding for mental health programs are critical steps. There have been community based projects developed to help with the crisis. Since 2004, the 686 project has contributed to persuading the central government to allocate about US$32.2 million towards community-based mental health (Xiang et al.). The project aims to train mental health professionals and combine the resources of psychiatric hospitals and already existing community health systems.
Conclusion
Addressing the mental health crisis in China requires a multifaceted approach. By reducing stigma, improving access to care, and leveraging technology, significant progress can be made. The collective efforts of the government, communities, and individuals are essential in creating a supportive environment where mental health is prioritized. As attitudes continue to shift and resources improve, there is hope for a brighter future for mental health care in China.
Written By: Amari Bell, Mental H2O Youth Resource Writer
References
Huang, Ru, and Xiuli Wang. “Impact of COVID-19 on mental health in China: analysis based on sentiment knowledge enhanced pre-training and XGBoost algorithm.” Frontiers in Public Health, vol. 11, July 2023, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1170838.
Lancet, None. “Mental health after China’s prolonged lockdowns.” Lancet, vol. 399, no. 10342, June 2022, p. 2167. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(22)01051-0.
Wang, Kai. “The Yin–Yang Definition Model of Mental Health: The Mental Health Definition in Chinese Culture.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 13, Mar. 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.832076.
Xiang, Yu-Tao, et al. “Mental health in China: challenges and progress.” Lancet, vol. 380, no. 9855, Nov. 2012, pp. 1715–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(11)60893-3.
Yin, Huifang, et al. “Mental health stigma and mental health knowledge in Chinese population: a cross-sectional study.” BMC Psychiatry, vol. 20, no. 1, June 2020, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02705-x.
