Under pressure: the rising crisis among Hong Kong students
Increasing student stress is cause for alarm for many, but experts are offering coping mechanisms and positive perspectives to improve mental health
According to a 2024 survey by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, 45 per cent of students polled identified their stress levels between seven and 10. These results demonstrated the first increase in four years. With stress levels on the rise, so too are the physical and mental consequences. These can range between sleep disruptions, headaches, changes in appetite, irritability, withdrawal and feelings of hopelessness.
On Monday, it was reported that an 11-year-old boy in Tuen Mun died after falling from a height. Police found a suicide note that could link the tragedy to academic pressures.
“Stress affects students deeply, emotionally and academically,” explains Evgeny Evseev, counsellor at The Harbour School. “Too much stress can cause anxiety, disrupt concentration, trigger mood swings and interfere with sleep, all of which can block learning and motivation. Yet when stress is managed well, it can energise students, sharpen their focus, and help them succeed.”
Rachel Gregory, school psychologist at Harrow International School Hong Kong, adds that extensive stress can also have academic consequences, with students “sadly underachieving due to the level of chronic stress they have placed on themselves and the detrimental mental health impact this can have”.