Thoughtful article which raises many questions

October 6, 2025

This is a really interesting article that raises a whole range of issues that need to be, and in many instances are being, addressed by the Chinese Government. Sadly, one of the best measures of how societies are coping with these youth mental health issues is trends in the rates of attempted and actual suicide by Chinese youth.

Fortunately, the Chinese Government appear to have recognised the stresses that cause this and have implemented measures that have resulted in a continuing decline in the rates over the last decade, in contrast to the US where the rates have been rising rapidly over the same period, as is the case in many European countries.

Measures adopted include national health plans, crisis hotlines, regulating online content and school interventions.

But more needs to be done and China appears to recognise that and is developing community-based actions to continue that decline. Beijing also needs to look at the other issues raised in this article to reduce societal and parental stress on youth. The situation should remain an important issue for national policymakers.