Urban affliction rates 'worrying'

By Wang Hongyi (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-10-11 09:08

SHANGHAI: The city's "alarmingly high" rates of depression, anxiety and stress highlights a growing need to raise public awareness of mental illnesses, members of the medical community have said.

The incidence of depression in Shanghai has quadrupled from a decade ago, according to recent statistics from Shanghai Mental Health Center.

"The incidence of depression or related health risks among office workers has been much higher than the figures from preliminary analysis based on research involving 10,000 people," said Professor He Yumin of China Doctors Society.

Another sample survey of 2,700 citizens conducted by local authorities recently showed only 21 percent of those polled are seldom exposed to mental disorders, while almost 60 percent said someone close to them suffered or are suffering emotional or psychological stress.

Depression is characterized by pervasive sadness, which can significantly interfere with a person's normal behavior, thoughts and physical health - and can sometimes lead to suicide. At its current rate of increase, depression will be the second ranked health problem in the world by 2020, behind heart disease, experts said.

Data from the World Health Organization said about 121 million people around the world suffer from mental disorder, while the number has exceeded 30 million in China. Earlier reports have said 70 percent of suicides and 40 percent of suicide attempts have come from those who suffered from severe mental illness.

"The stress and strains of today's fast-paced business world can often lead to mental illness and even suicide," said psychiatrist Chen Yun.

"Whether it is a personal problem or one that is related to work, do not struggle with it all alone. Seek proper medical advice or find somebody you can talk to and release the stress," she said.

However, not all patients can approach such mental illnesses with an objective, rational attitude, as 12 percent of citizens surveyed said they are unable to talk about their condition or shun treatment for fear of shame disease for shame and hide it from treatment. About 64 percent confessed that they failed to seek the appropriate medical attention.

Experts believe the sharply increasing rate of mental illnesses is making early intervention all the more critical.

Educating the public about the true nature of mental illness and offering hope to those who suffer from it is of paramount importance, local health authorities have said.

To that effect, the 17th World Mental Health Day on Friday saw the launching of the country's first schizophrenia-centered pilot project in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

The scheme will establish management information systems that focus on schizophrenia patents, offer follow-up treatment and promote early intervention.