{
  "id": 18801801,
  "title": "In China’s fierce race for success, mental health struggles are starting earlier",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/in-chinas-fierce-race-for-success-mental-health-struggles-are-18801801",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-07T22:00:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3373644/chinas-fierce-race-success-mental-health-struggles-are-starting-earlier"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In China, young people are confronting mental health struggles at younger ages due to mounting academic pressure and competition. Moon Chen, a 15-year-old in Chongqing, experienced chest tightness, palpitations, and anxiety. Her mother took her to a cardiologist, but it was later discovered that her symptoms were indicative of depression and anxiety.\n\nChina's growing educational competition and digital media penetration have contributed to the rise in mental health issues among adolescents. A 2021 survey by Beijing Anding Hospital found that 17.5% of Chinese children and adolescents suffer from mental disorders, with anxiety and depression being the most common. This figure may underestimate the actual prevalence, as the survey only included school-aged children.\n\nA study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed that 14.8% of surveyed adolescents had varying degrees of depression risk. The pressure of the senior high school entrance exam, which determines students' path in education, exacerbates this issue. Only 50-70% of test-takers can secure admission to senior high school, a system that prioritizes academic success and leaves vocational paths stigmatized.\n\nEven university enrollment fails to ease the stress, as the rapidly growing student population and challenging graduate job market result in a degree not guaranteeing stable employment. This uncertainty has led to record-high stress levels among Chinese youth. Urban youth aged 16-24 have an unemployment rate of around 18%, peaking at 18.9% in August.\n\nBeyond the classroom, Chen found little respite, as her parents were preoccupied with work and lacked the emotional support she needed during her crisis. Zhu, a psychologist at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, noted that when children receive quality interactions and warm relationships at home, they are more likely to cope with challenges and avoid self-harm. However, Chen's situation highlights the growing challenge of mental health issues among Chinese youth, exacerbated by the digital age and the pressure to succeed academically.",
  "summary": "Moon Chen, a student in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing, experienced physical symptoms including chest tightness and heart palpitations before being diagnosed with depression and anxiety. According to Reuters Business via SCMP, the 17-year-old was initially taken to a cardiologist, but was subsequently advised to see a psychiatrist.\n\nExperts suggest that increasing academic pressure on younger students is contributing to rising mental strain. This trend reflects broader societal competition for opportunities in China. A 2021 nationwide survey led by Beijing Anding Hospital found that 17.5 per cent of Chinese children and adolescents suffer from mental disorders, with anxiety and depressive disorders being among the most common.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}