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Hong Kong people’s mental health has drawn increasing attention in recent years. In 2025, the Department of Social Work at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), in collaboration with the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong (MHAHK), conducted the seventh “Hong Kong Depression Index Survey”. Through street booths and an online survey, a total of 2,695 valid responses were collected. The findings show that both the depression and anxiety indices have reached the highest level on record, with the mental health crisis among Generation Z (aged 18-24) the most severe. Excessive use of electronic products is closely associated with emotional distress. In addition, more than half of the respondents do not seek professional help when facing emotional difficulties, and there is a growing trend of seeking help from AI when facing emotional distress is becoming increasingly evident, presenting new challenges for society.

Professor Angela Cui Jialiang from CUHK’s Department of Social Work; Dr Benjamin Lai, MH, Executive Committee Member and Psychiatrist, MHAHK; Mr Ching Chi-kong, Director, MHAHK; and Mr Stephen Wong, Deputy Director, MHAHK announced the findings at a press conference held today (5 March).

Proportion of moderate to severe or above depression increases

Professor Cui analysed the survey results at the press conference. She noted that the overall average depression score reached 7.27, the highest on record, with nearly 30% of respondents experiencing “moderate to severe depression”. Of greatest concern, the proportion in the “moderately severe (or above) depression” group – who should require professional treatment and counselling – increased from 11.1% in 2023 to 13.1%, an 18% increase. Compared with2020,  the increase was as high as 56%.

Anxiety levels are equally alarming, with the overall average anxiety score reaching 5.90, also the highest on record. The proportion experiencing “moderate to severe anxiety” rose significantly from 18.5% in 2023 to 22.6%, an increase of 22%, while “severe anxiety” surged from 6.4% to 9%, a sharp 41% increase and setting another record high. Following the pandemic and shifts in the socio-economic environment in recent years, the public continues to face tremendous pressure in adapting, and their emotional health still urgently requires attention.

Gen Z’s mental health requires special attention: longer electronic screen time linked to higher risks

Professor Cui further noted that among all age groups, the mental health situation of Gen Z is the most worrying, with both depression and anxiety scores higher than other adult groups. Among Gen Z respondents, 43.5% were affected by “moderate to severe depression” and 32.7% by “moderate to severe anxiety”, exceeding other age groups. The data also show a significant positive correlation between Gen Z’s average electronic screen time and their depression and anxiety scores, indicating that excessive use of electronic devices is closely associated with emotional distress.

Over half do not seek professional help  AI assistance proportion on the rise

When dealing with stress, as many as 55% of respondents said they would not seek help from professionals or were unsure whether they would, with the main reasons being “Busy with life” and “Believe I can cope on my own”. Respondents who chose to take no action in response to stress had significantly higher total depression and anxiety scores. AI assistants have risen to become the sixth most common option among people seeking help, and those who use them have comparatively higher depression and anxiety scores.

Psychiatrist urges attention to emotional changes in those around us

At the conference, Dr Benjamin Lai commented that people with depression may show marked changes across emotions, thoughts, behaviour, cognition and physiological functioning, such as persistent low mood, loss of hope for the future, lack of motivation, social withdrawal, insomnia and appetite changes, which can severely affect learning, work and family functioning. He analysed causes and treatment approaches, and strongly advised the public to pay closer attention to the emotional state of family and friends, build a support network and take measures that enable depression to be identified early and sufferers to seek help promptly and receive timely treatment.

MHAHK advocates building a comprehensive support network

In response to the findings, Mr Wong proposes the following recommendations to build a multi-layered societal support network and urged members of the public should proactively seek professional assistance and avoid delaying treatment if emotional problems persist.

1. Build a campus safety net: Given the severe emotional crisis among Gen Z youth, tertiary institutions are advised to make Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) a compulsory course, strengthening students’ self-help and peer-support capacity when facing academic and future-path pressures. MHAHK also hopes to strengthen collaboration with the Government’s Education Bureau to extend training to parents and students, forming a three-tier protection network.
2. Promote leisure exercise: The survey confirms a strong positive relationship between exercise and mental health, with the key being simply to move rather than the intensity of the exercise. Members of the public are encouraged to build a habit of daily leisure exercise, such as walking or stretching, and organisations should consider scheduling employee exercise time slots as a low-threshold way to manage emotions effectively.
3. Strengthen the gatekeeper role: The survey finds self-rated emotional support in the community is only “slightly adequate”. As the first line of defence, family and friends should learn effective emotional support skills, for example by taking MHFA courses, and individuals with persistent distress should proactively talk to family and friends.
4. Address the potential harms of electronic screens: Longer screen time is associated with higher depression and anxiety risk; the government should promote education on healthy digital use, while individuals should schedule digital rest periods, such as avoiding screens for an hour before bedtime, to rebuild real-world interpersonal contact and avoid relying solely on the internet as an emotional outlet.
5. Support part-time or unemployed people: Those with unstable employment show the highest depression and anxiety scores; it is recommended that Labour Department and employment support agency staff are provided with basic training on mental health identification and referral, and that emotional support mechanisms are established in employment service centres.
6. Pay attention to risks of seeking help from AI: With an increasing number of people seeking help from AI, society must recognise the potential risks of emotionally distressed individuals over-relying on virtual interactions. For people already at mental or emotional risk, excessive reliance on AI chatbots may be dangerous, as users may misinterpret AI-generated, fictional content as real, or treat AI interaction as real interpersonal interaction, which does not resolve root distress and may delay them from seeking professional help.
7. Make good use of low-threshold help channels: For the more than half of people who are unwilling to seek professional help, encourage them to start with hotlines or online, text-based help platforms, using anonymous and stepped interventions to reduce barriers and take the first step towards recovery.

MHAHK’s related mental health services

To meet community needs, MHAHK provides a range of mental health education and support services, including:

• Professional training and community education: MHFA courses, professional training for corporations and tertiary institutions, and the “Jockey Club Embrace Life Series 2.0 – Quality Mental Health Campus Project”.
• Innovation, technology and online support: the “Counseline” mobile app, offering online counselling by social workers; and the “Chill Lab – Youth Mental Health Project”, an AR/VR-based emotional management for young people.
• Emotional and psychological interventions: subsidised clinical psychological counselling services; the “Jockey Club Sleep Well Project” and the “Jockey Club BaMa Chill Club Perinatal Support Project”; and the “Caring for you: Psychological Support Programme” for caregivers.
• Community-based integrated and recovery support: Integrated Community Centres for Mental Wellness (ICCMW) in various districts; the “Jockey Club Community Integration Project for Mental Recovery” and the “Love Fills Tai Po-Community Support Program”, which offers community support and peer accompaniment in the town.