Society
How music therapy soothes childhood pain
- 2025-01-07
- Society
- By: LI Sin Tung、CHAN Wing YiuEdited by: Yau To LUM
- 2025-01-07
Some children with specific mental health problems seldom open their mouths. Their parents do not have any clue how to make them talk, but Kwok Chun-ling, 29, founder of Nature Symphony Music Therapy, could. Kwok started a session with simple greetings, then sat in front of the children, grabbed her guitar, and started to play a cheerful self-composed song related to the child’s description. If the child does not want to speak, she will invite them to pick up any musical instrument that can represent their emotions, play any notes, and jam with the child. Similar to any other mental health therapist, Kwok needed to develop treatment plans for patients. But she doesn’t ask patients to put on instruments or take medications that may have side effects. During one of her music therapy sessions, two people sit and communicate through music. “Music is not intrusive and it does not force people to speak if they have difficulty expressing themselves due to emotional issues, especially children with mental health issues who are spending their childhood in the COVID-19 period,” she explained. Siu Man-hei, a nine-year-old girl studying at Po Yan Oblate Primary School in Wong Tai Sin, was diagnosed with autism and selective mutism. She has been receiving therapies from Kwok for more than a year. Siu’s mother, Cathy Leung, 46, said Siu has always been afraid to speak to strangers or in front of other people. Her refusal to speak was affecting her academic results. But music therapy boosted her confidence. "In the past, she would speak very softly, but now, every time she comes back from school, she will bring back the gifts she made and talk with us after attending the music therapy group," the mother said. “She also speaks naturally at school now, using a normal tone …
Knowledge meets cocktails: How academic bars in Shenzhen blend intellectual pursuits with social drinking
- 2024-12-23
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: LIU YutongEdited by: Robin Ewing
- 2024-12-23
At a cozy Shenzhen bar, soft jazz music plays as colorful cocktails glimmer on a Sunday night. The audience was focused on a speaker discussing the dichotomy between materialism and idealism with a few slides projected behind him on a screen. Neighbor House, Shenzhen's first “academic bar," hosted its first event on Sept. 27, exploring the question “Is life a wilderness or a track?”. “The bar was packed that night,” said Yu Yang, 32, a bar partner of Neighbor House. “I wanted to open a bar with spiritual pursuits, like in the movie Midnight in Paris, to make social drinking more interesting and intellectual.” Academic bars blending intellectual discussions with socializing have become popular in China’s first-tier cities this year, mostly in Beijing and Shanghai, before recently finding their groove in Shenzhen. People recruited from social media gather at venues like Neighbor House for lectures and debates on various topics, all while enjoying drinks. On Xiaohongshu, a popular lifestyle social media platform in China, topics related to "academic bars" have gained more than four million views, with more than 6,000 related posts. “At least 30 people attended each event, which is beyond our expectations,” Yu said. “We had to turn up the speakers so that people gathered outside could also hear.” “I want to get away from work and learn more things other than making money,” Xu Yihua, a 30-year-old participant, said. “I expect to have discussions with others and make more like-minded friends through this platform.” Xu Yihua, a human resource manager, participated in the academic salon held at the Neighbor House for the second time. She said she cherishes it because there are few opportunities to participate in such activities after graduating from university. Academic bars originate from “Science in a Bar” in the UK. The SciBars are …
Increasing use of social media for news risks overloading users’ mental well-being
- 2024-12-21
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: AU YEUNG Jim、AO Wei Ying VinciEdited by: KONG Tsz Yuen
- 2024-12-21
Conor James Walker, 22, a university student majoring in history and politics, gets his daily news from websites such as the BBC and Al Jazeera. He said the current amount of information online is detrimental to his mental health. “A lot of information online, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s true or not, is mostly quite depressing subjects,” said Walker. “Fear of war, disease, disasters, and how politics rarely has a good story that comes out of it, no matter what country you look at,” he said. “It can take quite a mental toll on any individual,” said Walker. Walker added that he is less likely to read social media news unless it appears on his social media feed. “There’s the thing with social media,” said Walker, “which is anything can be said by anyone, and it turns out there’s a good chance it may not be true.” According to a report from the UK Office of Communications (Ofcom), the country’s telecommunications watchdog, 82% of those aged 16-24 years relied on social media for news, while only 28% of those aged 55 years do so. The report added that of all Britons aged 16 or above, 52% now consider social media their primary news source, whereas 51% still watch news on television via main broadcasters. This means online media has overtaken television as the biggest source of news. The American Psychological Association describes that constant feed of negative news as “media saturation overload.” Online platforms, especially social media, have algorithms that feed users more of the same to drive views and engagement. Bryan Mclaughlin, an associate professor in the College of Media and Communication at Texas Tech University, said that social media access leads to people being constantly caught up on the news. “If you don't have social media, even …
The Suicide Rate among Hong Kong Students Under Academic Pressure Hit an Eight-year High
- 2024-12-15
- Society
- By: CHEN Yik Nam、WONG Hong NiEdited by: Tsz Yau CHAN
- 2024-12-15
Heather Yeung, 20, is one of the seven founding members of the Hong Kong Student Alliance on Student Suicide, which was formed one year ago. Their goal is to give students a voice in the conversation about suicide prevention in Hong Kong. Last year, 1092 people took their own lives in Hong Kong. That’s a ten-year high according to Samaritans Hong Kong. Of those, 7.2 percent were aged between 10 and 19, which has reached the highest in eight years. The Hong Kong Student Alliance on Student Suicide set up a booth with the theme “How far are we from suicide?” on World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 in front of Mong Kok MTR station Exit D1.“The idea of holding a street information booth is to plant a seed in the hearts of passersby,” Heather said. Passersby added their views on the topic by posting sticky notes. There are 339 participants polled in the special interactive ballot box named “Your distance from suicide”, 72.6 percent said they had been exposed to suicide. She expressed her hopes that this initiative could raise awareness of the taboo topic in Hong Kong. “There is only so much we can do at this stage,” she added. Din Wai-bun, 53, is a lecturer at the Department of Social Work at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. “The deep-rooted traditional concept of ‘winning at the starting line’ is repeating a vicious circle over and over again, which has also brought about the emergence of the suicide epidemic,” he said. “Parents, schools, society, and students have been instilled with the concept that being elite and successful is the only way to survive,” Din said. “But the few always win at the starting line.” According to the 2023 Hong Kong School Children Happiness Annual Survey conducted by …
Therapaws build trust and help people overcome negative thoughts
- 2024-12-14
- Society
- By: Cheuk Chi Maggie YEUNG、MAO AnqiEdited by: Wai Sum CHEUNG
- 2024-12-14
Surrounded by a lively group of primary school children eager to pet her, So So, a six-and-a-half-year-old Shih Tzu, radiates warmth and comfort. Known for her calm and empathetic nature, she has become a source of comfort for individuals experiencing emotional distress. So So is a qualified therapy dog and doctor pet. Her owner, Arale Leung, said her dog always enjoys helping people in need. “So So is not timid but accommodating,” she said. Recalling the moments when some kids reacted intensely during therapy sessions, Leung said So So was confident in handling the situation. “Her eyes were very determined like she seemed to say, ‘Don’t be afraid, I’ll help you’,” said Leung. Research by a group of animal science and biotechnology experts, published in the 2015 issue of the journal Science, found that interacting with animals can boost the release of oxytocin in the human body—a hormone associated with feelings of love, healing and social motivation. So So has been working as a therapaw at the Hong Kong Animal Assisted Therapy Association (HKAATA) for four years. Debbie Ngai Hui-fai founded the organization in 2013. She said during treatment, a handler, who usually owns the service dog, or ‘therapaw’, first guides the animal to help patients tear down their walls so that they are open to treatment. A therapist will observe the interaction between the patient and the animal, then find a suitable treatment plan to guide and intervene in the patient’s emotions. Government figures show that Hong Kong people’s depression index reached a new high in 2024, and the number of psychiatric patients has doubled over the past decade. In 2023-2024, there were 305,700 people with mental illness, leading to increased demand for outpatient services provided by specialist outpatient clinics, according to a government report. “We can see a …
ChatGPT as psychological counsellor: lifeline or limitation?
- 2024-12-11
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: YANG Haicen、WANG JingEdited by: Juncong SHUAI
- 2024-12-11
Anne Li, ( not her real name) ended her long Friday of classes in solitude, buying dinner from the vending machine outside her dorm and confiding in ChatGPT. “In high school, we had fixed classes and a group of friends who were always there for you. But now, every class and every person is different—it felt like no one stayed around for long,” Li said. The 18-year-old recently moved from Xi’an to study in Hong Kong. The transition turned her from an outgoing personality into a quiet and reserved individual. “Sometimes I thought I might be depressed, but I was too scared to go to the clinic. What if I am really sick?” Li discovered posts on Xiaohongshu where others had shared their experiences using ChatGPT to talk about emotional struggles. Out of curiosity and a need for support, she began using the AI chatbot for emotional guidance in October last year. “It felt like a friend who would never betray or judge you,” Li said. “In many lonely moments, it truly gave me a sense of comfort and belonging.” Li is among a growing number of users who have turned to ChatGPT for emotional or psychological support. According to Xiaohongshu, searches for "using GPT for therapy" resulted in 4.3 million posts, while "GPT and psychotherapy" had over 330 posts. Initially created for tasks such as answering questions and providing recommendations, generative AI has evolved to handle more complex and personalised uses, including mental health support. OpenAI’s GPT-4.0, the latest version of the model, has become capable of engaging in fluent discussions and identifying users’ emotions through text. Character.ai, a platform where people can create chatbots based on fictional or real people, for example, introduced a chatbot called “Psychologist”, which is described as mental health specialists helping people improve their …
Reshaping the way consumers see food products
- 2024-12-06
- Society
- By: CHAN Wing Yiu、Tsz Chiu MaEdited by: KONG Tsz Yuen
- 2024-12-06
About 3,300 tonnes of food waste were disposed of at landfills everyday, according to Environmental Protection Department figures in 2022. That’s about 30 percent of municipal solid waste. But a Friends of the Earth study found that at least 29 tonnes of food waste were still consumable, most of them were expired products thrown out by supermarkets. Several non-government organizations and social enterprises have been trying to cut down on the amount of food that ends up in landfills. GreenPrice, for example, focuses on reselling food that would soon expire but still safe to eat. They sell them at half price or less. Hon Chun-him, 27, one of the founders of GreenPrice, aims to eliminate waste and popularise a sustainable lifestyle. He was inspired by a visit to Food Angel, a food rescue NGO, where he received some discarded short-dated food donations. Hon and his partner founded GreenPrice in 2016 after they won some funding from a university social innovation competition. Today, GreenPrice has 12 branches around Hong Kong. Some are located in high-end places like Central or Tsuen Wan OP Mall, giving their brand a luxurious and trendy reputation. “We questioned the safety of the food at first, but then we learned more about the concept of “best-before” and realised the products are still safe to consume,” said Hon. Hon and his partners then developed the idea of redistributing short-dated and expired products. The Centre for Food Safety stated that the “best-before” date is about food quality. The food is expected to maintain its best taste and texture until this date, with proper storage. But the food is still safe to eat after this date, even though its quality could be compromised. “Used-by” dates relate to food safety, that is the last date on which it’s safe for …
College Students Seek Sleep Solutions Beyond Medication
- 2024-12-04
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: WANG Ludan、LIU YutongEdited by: Yuqi CHU
- 2024-12-04
At midnight, Guo Tongshun, 19, a second-year student from Hong Kong Baptist University, found himself exhausted but unable to sleep. After an hour of tossing and turning, his anxiety about getting up early made him more restless. In desperation, he gave up on sleeping and picked up his phone to watch videos. But the light of the phone and the fast-swiping videos made him more and more excited. At 3 am, he felt anxious but was no longer sleepy. He then took a melatonin tablet to try to sleep again. “It works well, but I am afraid to take more,” Guo said. “I hate the feeling of being weak and fuzzy after taking it, and I am worried that it would cause hormonal disruption.” Many university students in Hong Kong are overwhelmed by the problem of sleep disorders and sleep anxiety, caused by excessive screen time, heavy academic pressure and mental stress. Some of them take medication to combat sleep disorders, but they are also trying to explore other solutions. Sleep disorders can have multiple psychological and physical effects. People who suffer from it often do not have good sleep quality and sufficient sleep time, which may lead to function impairment and fatigue during the day, thus increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attack, according to the National Library of Medicine in the US. According to a "White Paper on the Sleep Health of Chinese Residents 2024" published by the Chinese Association for Sleep Research, more and more young people in China suffer from sleep disorders. According to the Paper, people aged between 14 and 34 are troubled by sleep difficulties, falling asleep after midnight on average, more than an hour later than those aged above 34. In Hong Kong, nearly 70% of local …
Scotland’s largest trade union body holds 40th anti-racism march in Glasgow
- 2024-12-01
- Society
- By: AU YEUNG JimEdited by: Hanzhi YANG、KONG Tsz Yuen
- 2024-12-01
Scotland’s Trade Union Centre (STUC) held its 40th annual anti-racism march and rally in Glasgow on Saint Andrew’s Day, Scotland's de facto national day. The event called for inclusivity, solidarity with refugees, and rejection of far-right ideologies. This year’s march celebrated the trade union’s 40 years of resilience in combating racism, particularly as immigration and far-right extremism have become pressing issues across Europe, according to the STUC. “Fascism is rising in Europe, and I think it’s important that people stand up against it,” said Caitlin Dransart, 25, a fresh university graduate. “As a white person, having quite a privilege in society, I think I have a responsibility to speak for people who are marginalised.” Founded in 1897, the STUC today represents over 550,000 workers through its 40 affiliated trade unions and 20 trade union councils. According to the union, it is recognised as Scotland's largest civil society organisation. The STUC began the tradition of organising mass anti-racism marches in 1983 when Scotland saw its first major anti-racist counter-protest in Glasgow, the country’s largest city. Gordon Davie, 75, a retired occupational therapist, said racism is still a major concern in the UK, and said if racism is not pushed back, it will lead to civil war and massive violence. “The driving force of racism today is fear, fear that is exploited and built upon by politicians,” said Davie. “Fear comes from people not being able to afford to buy a house and buy their groceries. All these are caused by the economic system, people are deprived, so they look for someone to blame and they blame immigration and refugees.” Davie said the major political parties in the UK are too complacent in addressing racism, and it is helping right-wing populist parties. “If they don’t address the issue much more strongly, then …
Esports help build local Gen Z community
- 2024-11-29
- Society
- By: ALISHIBA MATLOOB、Wing Chi HOEdited by: Elif Lale AYHAN
- 2024-11-29
“In esports, working together is very important for success,” said Gen Z player Pong Ka-hei, 25, known as SiufatBB to his peers and the founder of the Hong Kong Griffin ESports Organization. Pong is also a professional player for the popular game Valorant and the champion of VALORANT Champions Tour 2022: Hong Kong & Taiwan Stage 2 Challengers. “Every team member, including me, is from a different place and family. Everyone has a unique background, but the challenge is to do our best as a team,” Pong said. Through their teamwork and shared passion, he believes Gen Z is actively building a supportive community in esports. Gen Z gamers can be spotted in Hong Kong. South Korean Esports powerhouse, fifth-time champion of League of Legends World Championship, T1, led by captain Lee Sang-hyeok (Faker), came to Hong Kong to host the HSBC One x T1 “League of One” party on Sept 29 at the Asiaworld Summit. Hundreds of fans got to watch them play against each other and also got to meet the players' family members. Being a fan of T1, Matthew Fai, said he made many lifelong friends through gaming, such as local competitions and online games. “One of my favourite games is League of Legends,” Fai said. The gaming community in Hong Kong has been growing since the early 2010s, particularly after significant events like local player Lau Wai Kin, known as Toyz, winning League of Legends: Season 2 World Championship in 2012. In 2018, the Hong Kong government invested HK$100 million to promote esports, showing strong support for gaming in the region. According to the market research website Market.us, the global esports market was valued at around US$1.8 billion (HK$13 billion) in 2022 but grew to around US$2.4 billion(HK$18 billion) the following year. Esports charts reported “League …