Helping hands disperse children's dark clouds(3)

Treatment dilemma

In cases of depressive disorders, the brain experiences abnormalities in the neurotransmitters that send signals. These abnormalities can also occur in related neural pathways and structures.

"Some drugs to treat depression restore the normal regulation of these systems," He said, adding that an effective medical treatment cycle for children with mental disorders is about 20 days.

Family psychological therapy is also essential. "At least 30 percent of my patients undergo such treatment," she said.

Liang Hong, director of Beijing Huilongguan Hospital's Psychological Crisis Research and Intervention Center, a leading psychological counseling establishment treating depression, said, "The whole of society is in a kind of parenting anxiety, and parents are afraid that their children will fall behind.

"For example, they want their children to behave well and to obey them, but those parents who often ignore the needs of their kids rarely communicate with them to offer them guidance," she said.

In treating depressive disorders, drug therapy can improve a patient's mood, but Liang said the importance of family therapy is to teach parents to support their children to the fullest extent.

"Let's say, in a rough analogy, that if a mother is cured, her child will not easily become depressed," she said. "But no one has ever taught parents what they should do, so they explore the answer themselves and initially feel at a loss."

She suggested more information be given to parents so that they can better handle their emotions.

Zheng said that in recent years, China's policy emphasis on mental health has increased significantly, and by 2019, the number of psychiatrists in the country had risen from 20,000 to 40,000.

"But there are still not that many child psychiatrists, and effective implementation of the policy will take time," he said.

There is also limited availability of qualified psychotherapy. At He's clinic, many of her patients' parents often complain about long waiting times for appointments.

Zheng said that even though children with depression can now receive help from school and their families, there is still a high level of discrimination against mental disorders.

"There is no need to be scared when children experience depression, and for most mental health issues, the sooner the illness is diagnosed, the better the treatment will be," Zheng added.