Teenagers whom CNA spoke to attributed mental health symptoms to high stress levels, largely stemming from the pressure to perform well in school.
“I put a lot of stress on myself to study harder and take time off of relaxation to practise more. Sometimes, the stress gets so high that I’ll sleep at 4am,” said a secondary school student who is preparing for his O’Levels, adding he worries about comparing grades with his classmates.
“I face issues like anxiety because of school. I get anxious when there’s a lot of people. How I cope with it – I try to take deep breaths, I try to think rationally in the situation. Then if I cannot cope with some stuff, I will try to seek help, maybe go for counselling,” said a polytechnic student.
“Mental health is very important because if your mental state is not well, then it will really deter you from making a lot of good decisions in your life,” he added.
PARENTS LACK UNDERSTANDING
The research found parents lagging behind their teenagers in being able to identify mental health issues.
Only one in 10 parents said they would observe such symptoms in their children, compared to one in three youths who would self-report them.
The study affirmed the need for parents to be more deeply involved in understanding and identifying their children’s mental health concerns, said Ms Sun Xueling, Minister of State for Social and Family Development.