Chinese media outlet The Economic Observer reported on the 25th that the number of children seeking psychiatric care is increasing in China.

According to the article, Dr. Jiang Tao (Jiang Tao), director of the Psychiatry Department at Beijing Anding Hospital, says that in recent years, an increasing number of children are seeking psychiatric care. Data from the medical journal "The Lancet" shows a clear upward trend in the prevalence of mental disorders among children and adolescents in China, with the prevalence rate in 2021 at 8.9% and the number of patients said to have reached approximately 30.8 million.

According to Dr. Jiang, mental health issues are particularly common among adolescents aged 12-18, but they are not the so-called "problem children" in school; instead, many attend high-achieving schools or classes and have good grades. However, they suddenly become unable to attend school one day. Due to interpersonal relationships, parent-child relationships, long-term stress, and anxiety, in addition to disrupted daily routines, symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and fever are also frequently observed. Some children develop symptoms when they go to school, and their symptoms alleviate when they return home.

These cases are often diagnosed as depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, school phobia, etc. Dr. Jiang explained that while the root cause of these symptoms is often psychological stress and autonomic nervous system dysfunction, he also indicated that the internet environment surrounding young people today plays a role. In recent years, with the spread of smartphones, SNS and video platforms have rapidly expanded, leading to an information explosion. Because adolescents' minds are immature, they are susceptible to complex and negative information.

Furthermore, currently on social media, topics such as depression, Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are widely discussed, creating "algorithm-driven anxiety." Dr. Jiang warns that "NPD and BPD are very serious personality disorders, and diagnosis is inherently very complex, but now they are being casually judged based solely on simple online diagnostic tests."

Regarding ADHD, he explained that it is "a very serious illness that requires interviews and professional evaluations for diagnosis, and cannot be simply judged." As a real-life case, he explained, "There was a case where someone couldn't tolerate waiting at a red light, got out of their car, and broke the traffic signal. Later, it was diagnosed as ADHD, and a lack of patience, impulsivity, and weak self-control were confirmed."

Dr. Jiang also pointed out that "by repeatedly displaying illness-related information on social media, there is a risk that even those who originally had only temporary low moods or stress may mistakenly believe themselves to be patients." As a result, there are cases where people who don't truly need it receive excessive treatment, or attribute all their real-life problems to an illness.

Dr. Jiang mentioned that while "society's understanding of mental illness has advanced compared to the past," "the prejudice that mental illness equals weak will still persists." He urges that "if one experiences mental distress, it is important to seek professional support early, such as psychotherapy or medication." (Translation/Editing by Kitada)