weekly
Written by: Huang Shunyang
2020-12-30 15:00
Last update date: 2020-12-30 15:00
In just two years, Hong Kong experienced political turmoil in the anti-amendment turmoil, and then was plagued by the new crown pneumonia epidemic. During this period, it was also mixed with such things as the Great Economic Recession, the soaring unemployment rate, the "Hong Kong National Security Law", and the Legislative Council. Postponements and other incidents that make the public anxious.
In this special pessimistic environment, how can Hong Kong people who are deeply "traumatic" feel soothed?
When the SAR government does nothing, the workload of psychologists, front-line social workers, psychological counselors and other experts will undoubtedly increase. However, when social emotions continue to fluctuate, they will inevitably be frustrated as "medicians". Who should heal them?
"I think Hong Kong is so strange. I don't know Hong Kong anymore." Social worker Lin Rongzhi described that in the past two years of social events, people who support or oppose the government will feel a sense of "strangeness" in their hearts. This emotional distress is actually a kind of "collective trauma."
"Anxiety about the future and distrust between people continue to accumulate and gradually become a kind of mental distress." Social workers Wu Zhiwei and Lin Rongzhi have been engaged in mental trauma community support for many years. In their opinion, the current emotional problems in Hong Kong are not optimistic. The old problems have not been "digested", and new problems have emerged, "it is difficult to help people deal with it."
The two of them took on the entire plan of Caritas Hong Kong’s "Heart Life Seed". In addition to dealing with one after another "trauma" requests for help, they will also hold regular lectures and workshops to increase the public's awareness of trauma. Concern and understanding, but also hope to provide appropriate assistance to those who have experienced trauma.
They said frankly that Hong Kong has not paid much attention to emotional health. The anti-amendment turbulence that broke out last year is undoubtedly "exacerbating the situation."
Lin Rongzhi pointed out that the way out for Hong Kong is to rebuild trust between people.
(Photo by Huang Baoying)
Trust crisis hinders help
"A person is more or less traumatized." The project team director Wu Zhiwei explained that trauma can be caused by a single event or repetitive events. For example, when you return home every day, you have to face the language or body of your family. Rough treatment, and personal emotions cannot adapt to this long-term pressure, it will form a kind of trauma over time, affecting the individual's understanding of the relationship.
"Social incidents (anti-amendment controversy) are actually exposing the problems, states and emotions that have been buried for a long time in society and individuals, thus causing secondary trauma." They frankly said that after more than a year of social incidents, people His trust has long been devastated.
Lin Rongzhi described that mutual distrust makes it more difficult for emotionally troubled people to take the first step in seeking help. She found that this situation has increased significantly, "I don't know how you will treat me."
Since the anti-amendment turmoil, there have been more and more cases and work that they need to follow up, but the impact of the epidemic on them has far exceeded expectations, and they have to adapt to social problems and the "new normal" during the epidemic.
It is not difficult to imagine that before the outbreak of the epidemic, family conflicts triggered by social events can still use workplaces and campuses to avoid conflicts, and the epidemic has forced everyone to go out less, and there are more and more problems within the family.
Wu Zhiwei pointed out that parents are often unable to communicate effectively with their children due to disagreements and different growth experiences. In contrast, young people may not be able to adapt to the state of their families, which will cause more traumatic problems.
He pointed out that during this period, the number of cases of parents asking for help has increased. "But the entire (support) service is shrinking. Everyone is adapting to an environment and cannot face-to-face contact with cases. Previous lectures and workshops have to be moved. Go online."
Under the special pessimistic environment of the past two years, how can Hong Kong people who have been deeply "traumatic" soothe their mood?
(Profile picture)
Can a "healer" heal people still "medicine"?
The crises of trust between people and the changes in work patterns brought about by the epidemic have added to their burdens.
As a member of society, they are also suffering from the "collective trauma" caused by social events and the emotional pressure of being a "medicine". Lin Rongzhi also frankly said, "It is impossible to live without the community. If there is no emotion, it must be fake."
The online transformation brought about by the epidemic has left her in a state of tension and anxiety for a long time. How to more effectively convey social support information and respond to social needs is one of the many problems she needs to deal with. At the lecture, I asked questions but didn’t respond. I don’t know if they are listening."
At the same time, the trust crisis accumulated from social events also requires them to spend more time and energy to establish relationships with clients through the screen.
Wu Zhiwei noticed that the relationship and feelings between adults and young people are becoming more and more alienated. There is a lot of hesitation and suspicion that prevents help seekers from expressing their emotions frankly, making it more difficult for them to establish relationships with clients. "It took three sessions before. Time, it may take six to seven quarters now before we can enter the next stage."
"If you don't have emotions, you can't be a social worker. But if you are afraid of (face) your emotions, there is no way to open your heart and share with confidence." Lin Rongzhi admitted that he has adapted to the "new normal" of society and coped with emotional stress. It makes her exhausted, but she knows to stay professional, "make sure I don’t put my emotions on work."
As a member of society, front-line social workers also suffer from the "collective trauma" caused by social events.
(Photo by Yu Junliang)
Contradiction and confusion
In fact, the rapid pace of work and the "tightened" mental state for years have always been a portrayal of the lives of Hong Kong people.
However, in addition to personal pressure, the successive outbreaks of social movements and the continuing new crown epidemic have left Hong Kong people who have been struggling with their mental health status for a long time in anxiety and other emotions.
The Youth Health Research Group of the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Hong Kong published a survey on the risk of trauma and depressive symptoms under social events and epidemics on August 6 this year. During the period from February to July, 11,493 people participated in the assessment, of which 40.9% were moderate At the same time, nearly 73.7% of people have moderate to severe depression symptoms, and 36% have both symptoms at the same time.
The investigation more clearly pointed out that as the pressure caused by social events and the outbreak of the epidemic continues to accumulate, the emotional problems of Hong Kong people are slowly being pushed to the edge of crisis (see figure).
(Hong Kong 01 drawing)
"There are too many unknowns, and I don't know what will happen when I read the news every day." Lin Rongzhi pointed out that Hong Kong society is full of various anxiety and uneasiness, which stems from the uncertainty of social events and the epidemic.
"In fact, there is not much we can do. In addition to helping (cases) improve mental resilience to face problems, we can only do this step." Wu Zhiwei believes that cases related to anti-amendment regulations are more difficult than other cases. Assist those seeking help to rebuild their hope for life, trust and contact with others.
In fact, regardless of social movement or the epidemic, the existing values and perceptions of Hong Kong people have been subverted. Under such uncertainty, the public's expectations for society and the future will naturally decline.
However, when the anti-amendment turmoil that had lasted for more than half a year gradually subsided due to the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, the apparent calm was nothing more than burying social sentiment deeply. This "period of pain" has long left Hong Kong people indelible. "Collective Trauma".
Even if the "Hong Kong District National Security Law" is promulgated to fill the long-term gap in Hong Kong’s national security, Hong Kong’s deep-seated contradictions are puzzled, and the people’s anxiety about life still has no room to breathe. How can Hong Kong be "stabilized, prosperous, and moving forward" "?
Hong Kong’s deep-seated contradictions are puzzled, and the people’s anxiety about life still has no room to breathe. How can Hong Kong be "stabilized, prosperous and moving forward"?
(Information Picture/Photographed by Li Zetong)
Back to the prototype after the epidemic?
"The epidemic is just a shift of the public's focus from social events." For Lin Rongzhi, the epidemic is not a "rest period" for Hong Kong. The way out for Hong Kong society is to rebuild between people and between people and society. Trust.
As a frontline worker who pays attention to trauma and trauma, she understands that she can only use her limited energy and time to help different seekers sort out their emotions and let them "coexist" with trauma. This requires the joint efforts of the entire society.
But more importantly, she believes that the government should find ways to reduce the current "uncertainty" in society. "If the (life) plan cannot be implemented, anxiety will only increase and the government needs to find ways to deal with it."
Of course, striving to "clear" the epidemic and restore stability to society is an urgent matter.
However, even if society recovers from the epidemic, will it still be Hong Kong, where the distribution of resources is uneven and the government has not fully used the power of "secondary distribution" to achieve economic justice?
Waiting for young people, is it still Hong Kong, which has a single industrial structure and a solidified class, and can only rely on speculation in the financial market to achieve the "upper" Hong Kong?
The disparity between the rich and the poor is getting worse, and the grassroots people bear the pressure of real estate prices and inflation, and it is difficult to maintain even the most basic dignity of life.
If the Hong Kong government still blindly believes in the "drip effect" of relying on overall economic growth to benefit the lower class, and ignores the deep-seated social problems that have accumulated for a long time, the "trauma" of Hong Kong society will only become deeper and deeper.
"It will become a point later. No one has a crystal ball." Wu Zhiwei described.
[Hong Kong people are tired] How to stand up after the big break?
[Hong Kong people are tired] Yuan Guoyong is also tired from the inability of the Hong Kong government to prevent the epidemic
[Hong Kong people are tired] Can the government hear the cry of the workers?
[Hong Kong people are tired] Cleaners have high risk and low protection
[Hong Kong people are tired] Is it better or worse?
A year of constant controversy in education
[Hong Kong people are tired] Epidemic suspends classes for three times
The above was published in the 246th issue of "Hong Kong 01" Weekly (December 28, 2020) "Who can heal social trauma? ". If you want to read the full text, please
click here to
sample the weekly newsletter and browse more in-depth reports.
Selected content of 246 issue of "Hong Kong 01" Weekly:
[Cover story] tearing, turmoil, epidemic, recession...Hong Kong people are tired
The Hong Kong government fails to prevent the epidemic, and Yuan Guoyong is also tired
Where to go after the continuous turmoil in the education industry
Classes are suspended for three times due to the epidemic
[Go upstairs.
Parasites] Seoul's property price rises top global real estate market chaos
Tracing the source of the epidemic, Europeans spend Christmas in isolation
The death of the famous Sinologist Fu Gaoyi puts aside Western prejudices and treats China honestly
01 Weekly report in-depth report on the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law, demonstrations of emotions, mental health