Editorials

Op-Ed Contributors

Chinese Press

Columnists

LETTERS

Mental health matters

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-25 07:45

On the 10th national day for college students' psychological health, that is today, we must face the fact that the mental well-being of our young generation on the campus has increasingly become a matter of concern.

Surveys in recent years have found that the proportion of students with serious psychological problems is on the increase. At least 100,000 students suffer from depression in Beijing alone, according to a survey. Mental problems make up a large percentage of the causes for students quitting school or suspending studies. It is not unusual to hear reports of student suicides.

It goes without saying that the pressure students nowadays face is much greater than that their parents did when they were in the university. Some 20 years ago, university graduates were assigned jobs by the government, but now they have to find jobs on their own. The hardship involved in finding a job or the right job has often driven some people to the point of losing confidence in life.

Many more graduates seeking employment and proportionately lesser job opportunities are reminders of the harsh prospects awaiting those who start campus life now. As a result, fierce competition starts right on campus.

The fact that most of them, particularly from urban areas, are the only offspring of their parents has added to the possibility of their developing psychological problems. In the case of many of them, too much attention from doting parents and grandparents has made them self-centered. They don't know how to share with others, and neither do they know how to communicate with others. A survey has found that quite a percentage of students are Internet-addicted, which in turn has added to their loneliness.

Another problem is that many parents expect too much of their children, and this expectation puts students under heavy pressure.

It is of particular importance for parents and teachers to encourage students to face whatever difficulties or frustrations they meet with the right attitude. They must be told and made to accept the fact that overcoming difficulties or getting through frustrations is what much of life is about. No one can expect to really grow up psychologically without the pain of getting through frustrations of various kinds.

It is necessary for universities to have psychiatrists or psychologists ready to provide adequate care for students suffering from depression or other serious mental problems. Many institutions of higher learning have established psychological health centers and organized regular programs to address the psychological problems of students.

What is even more important is to remind young parents of the importance to bring up their children in the right manner. They should expose their children to difficulties and frustrations and let them deal with them on their own. It is also imperative to let children learn to share with others and know how to love others.

Single children have heavier tasks as China is rapidly aging with 20 percent of the population expected to be above 60 by 2020. We need a young generation in sound health both physically and psychologically to sustain the country's healthy development.

(China Daily 05/25/2009 page4)