Health Guide: Dealing With Depression in Beijing

The 2013-2014 beijingkids Health Guide is the latest resource for Beijing families dedicated to providing information on family health care, maternity, eating and breathing safety, mental health, emergency care and traditional Chinese Medicine.

Stories of teenage suicides are all too common in the press, bringing to light the fact that despite our modern comforts, many people still struggle with depression. Many win the battle, some fight it for a lifetime, and some loose at an early age – but if you can recognize the symptoms in yourself and others you can get help, and the sooner you do that, the lesser the risk of something serious happening will be.

Children are no less suspect to depression than adults are, but sometimes they don’t just exhibit the moral symptoms of depression, but might lash out at others, break things, or try to aggravate others. “If you notice these kinds of behaviors or other unprovoked changes in personality, it’s time to take your children to see someone.” Says Doctor Yuezhu Liang, a child psychologist at New Century International Children’s Hospital who has treated tens of thousands of cases over the past 13 years.

Some children are predisposed to depression, and they might need to seek treatment their whole lives. Others might need some time to adapt to new situations, like a move abroad. And in this situation, says Dr. Liang, it is crucial for parents to have an honest look at themselves. “If your child is having a hard time adjusting to his or her new environment, take a good look at yourself and see how you are handling the situation. If you are unhappy, your child will follow suit, and in this situation the best thing the parent can do is to pull themselves together and remind themselves and their children that every person has the power to create a good life, and then create that life together.”

But of course there are other causes that can trigger depression in adults such as abuse, trauma, or even accumulated stress at work or at home, and these can be exasperated by environmental factors such as pollution, noise, and nutrition.