Coronavirus: outbreak in Hong Kong tests mental health of residents already strained by months of social unrest
- For some people coping with diagnosed conditions, the upheaval of daily life has become overwhelming
- Experts warn that an excessive focus on hygiene, or ‘health anxiety’, and extreme isolation can lead to emotional problems later on
This is the first in an award-winning three-part series shedding light on the mental well-being of Hong Kong's elderly amid the coronavirus pandemic. The second instalment looks at a 'loneliness epidemic' in care homes, while the third part centres on another killer lurking at home for aged residents – loneliness and panic. This series was the winning entry in the Making a Difference (English) category at the Mind HK Media Awards 2020.
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After finally bringing her bipolar disorder under control with the help of medication, Mok has seen the symptoms and hallucinations return. Black dots appear floating in the air, cockroaches scurry into corners only to vanish instantly when she smacks at them with her hand. Once again, daily life is turning into a frightening battle.
Mok, a 28-year-old and who prefers to be identified only by her surname, was first diagnosed as bipolar four years ago. The condition is characterised by strong mood swings with bouts of giddy, energetic highs followed by a rapid collapse into a paralysing depression that saps all interests and ambition.
She feels so anxious about becoming infected that she rarely leaves the flat she shares with her boyfriend of the same age in Kwun Tong. Mok fills the extra time by sleeping more and playing online games. She spends up to a few thousand of the HK$10,000 she earns a month working as an administration officer on games and facial treatment packages – embarking on buying sprees that often accompany her periods of elevation but she rarely gets as far as the salons.
