Your Voice: Struggle to spread the word about mental health; humans: primary drivers of climate change (long letters)
- One student says fitness is not only about physical health, but mental strength as well
- Another student writes that urgent and collective action is imperative to address the challenges posed by global warming
Young people are significantly affected by mental health disorders like depression, anxiety and stress. Photo: ShutterstockHave something to say? Send us a letter using this Google form.
Bringing mental health education to the forefront
Tyler Fang, Chinese International School
Young people are significantly affected by mental health disorders like depression, anxiety and stress. It has been proven that providing education about these problems is an effective method to prevent them. However, awareness about the disorders in public secondary schools in Hong Kong is not as widespread as it should be, increasing the vulnerability of these students compared to their peers in international schools.
I first attended a public primary school where I experienced mental health challenges, which are prevalent among young people in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, I was unable to discuss these problems openly because such conversations are not common, leading to the issues worsening over time. Fortunately, I discovered the benefits of engaging in sports, which boosted my confidence and reduced my stress levels. Later, I had the opportunity to transition from a public primary school to an international secondary school, where I noticed that mental health education was a central part of the curriculum.
Your Voice: Student mental health woes in Hong Kong (long letters)
Given that young people dedicate a substantial portion of their time to school, implementing mental health education programmes holds significant potential in mitigating the long-term consequences of the issues, benefiting both individuals and society.
To address this problem, I founded the Body and Mind (BAM) initiative in 2022. It aims to provide a greater understanding of what a healthy lifestyle means. Just as the name suggests, fitness is not only about physical but mental health as well. Body and Mind provides tools and resources to educate Hong Kong’s teenagers at public schools about maintaining a holistic lifestyle that optimises their mental and physical health.
Under the guidance of Lingnan University’s Centre for Social Policy & Change, Body and Mind recently completed a research study to identify the most prevalent mental health issues experienced by young people in public secondary schools in Hong Kong. The study aims to provide targeted support and resources to effectively meet young people’s mental health needs.
The ultimate goal is to improve the mental well-being of students by enhancing support within educational institutions. Body and Mind has also collaborated with various under-resourced public secondary schools, providing week-long and semester-long workshops with social workers and fitness trainers who lead sessions incorporating fitness, meditation, and small group discussions geared at tackling and coming to terms with various common mental health issues.
The study findings indicated that 33.3 per cent of secondary students experienced depression, 41.4 per cent experienced anxiety, and 49 per cent experienced stress. Females reported higher levels of severe depression, anxiety and stress compared to male students. Interestingly, the results revealed that students in public secondary schools had low levels of physical exercise.
Overall, this study provides valuable insight into the mental health landscape among secondary students in public schools in Hong Kong, highlighting the pressing need for proactive measures to address mental health concerns and foster a supportive environment for young people to thrive mentally and emotionally.
Urgent need to mitigate the effects of climate change
Tai Ruixian, Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College
Climate change is one of humanity’s most pressing challenges. It refers to long-term shifts in weather patterns and the Earth’s climate system caused by human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. This phenomenon has far-reaching consequences for the environment, ecosystems and human societies. My letter aims to explore the causes and consequences of climate change and the urgent need for collective action to mitigate its effects.
Humans are the primary drivers of climate change. Burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas, releases greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere, trapping heat and leading to global warming. Deforestation, which reduces the Earth’s capacity to absorb CO2, also contributes to rising GHG levels.
Additionally, industrial processes, agricultural practices and land use changes release other potent GHGs, such as methane and nitrous oxide. The cumulative effect of these activities has significantly altered the composition of the atmosphere, leading to unprecedented global warming.
The impact of climate change is diverse and wide-ranging. Rising global temperatures have caused the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, leading to sea-level rise and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, droughts and heatwaves. Changes in precipitation patterns have resulted in floods and prolonged droughts, affecting agricultural productivity and water availability. Ecosystems, including coral reefs and forests, are under threat, endangering biodiversity and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on them.
Furthermore, climate change exacerbates existing social and economic inequalities, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities.
Heat projected to kill nearly five times more people by 2050
Urgent and collective action is imperative to address the challenges posed by climate change. Governments, businesses and individuals must commit to reducing GHG emissions and transitioning to sustainable and renewable energy sources.
This requires implementing policies that promote energy efficiency, investing in clean technologies, and adopting sustainable land use practices. International cooperation and agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, play a crucial role in fostering collaboration and ensuring global efforts to limit global warming to below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Climate change is a global crisis that demands immediate attention and action. Its far-reaching impact on the environment, ecosystems and human society necessitates serious, concerted efforts to mitigate its effects. Individuals, communities and governments need to prioritise climate action, as our collective actions today will determine the kind of world we leave for future generations.