Ignorance of mental illness abounds

More than 75 percent of respondents to a local survey cannot recognize the early signs of psychological problems, according to a report published Tuesday on the state of local residents' mental health.

The survey, which was commissioned by the Shanghai Municipal Health Promotion Committee, is part of a broader effort to raise local awareness about mental health and well-being, according to a press release from the committee.

More than 3,500 Shanghai residents between the ages of 15 and 70 responded to the survey, which was conducted in March. "Our survey found that most respondents are unable to identify symptoms of mental health problems, which prevents them from getting proper, timely intervention and treatment," said Gu Xiping, a press officer for the committee.

It appears that many residents live with untreated stress, anxiety or other emotional problems, Gu said, noting that early symptoms of mental health disorders are easy to ignore because, unlike physical problems, they don't lead to immediate pain or discomfort.

Mental health disorders also vary a great deal in severity, said Wu Xiaoyu, the primary author of a book about the basics of mental health that the committee plans to distribute to local residents.

"Some are quite mild and don't last long, so people can recover by themselves. However, others are more severe, such as depression, which can affect people's everyday lives and can have serious consequences like suicide," Wu told the Global Times.

The committee plans to distribute copies of the book to more than 8 million households in Shanghai by the end of November.

The survey also found that 44 percent of respondents chose to bottle up their emotions.

Wu said that the figure stems from the fact that many people are reluctant to talk about their problems. "People with emotional problems may not display symptoms or may seek to hide them simply because they worry about what others might think, especially in the workplace," Wu said.

When describing the behavior of others, people often use the words "normal" and "abnormal," which are based on societal norms rather than scientific criteria, Wu said.

"Regular people feel ashamed to talk to others about their emotional problems because they are afraid they will be labeled abnormal," he added.

Because it is quite normal for people to have emotional problems, it is important to change this misconception so that the most serious consequences such as suicide can be prevented, Wu said.