Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: mental health advocate who saved suicidal teen

Mental health advocate Minal Mahtani, founder of OCD & Anxiety Support Hong Kong, has been named a finalist for the community category in the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards. Mahtani's work involves running monthly peer-support groups and offering affordable counselling, as well as yoga, art therapy, and sound healing. She believes that better referrals between hospitals, community mental health services, and specialist charities could help people receive timely support before their conditions worsen.

OCD & Anxiety Support Hong Kong runs a "warm hug" support system, providing a safe, confidential, and non-judgmental space for individuals of all backgrounds to feel understood. Mahtani started her support group meetings in 2014 after losing a cousin to suicide and has since helped over 30,000 people, including many who joined online during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite the challenges, she is pleased to see increasing openness about mental health issues in Hong Kong. In 2015, Mahtani initiated a World Mental Health Day campaign with green ribbons, which has since grown to involve 40-50 volunteers annually. Her work has also allowed her to assist people in acute distress, such as when she helped a mother persuade her 14-year-old suicidal son to step away from a ledge.

Mahtani emphasizes the importance of community support and encourages people to share their experiences to create a more healing environment.