1 in 2 Seoul Citizens Experience 'Depression'... Mental Health Warning for Youth

Seoul Institute Report on 'Mental Health Status of Seoul Citizens'
52.5% of Seoul Citizens Have One or More Mental Health Issues

More than half of Seoul citizens are experiencing mental health issues.

According to the report "Mental Health Status and Policy Directions of Seoul Citizens" by the Seoul Institute on the 29th, 52.5% of Seoul citizens were found to have one or more mental health problems. This result comes from a mental health survey conducted on 2,149 Seoul citizens aged 19 to 74.

Looking into the mental health issues in detail, the prevalence rates were as follows: ▲Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (33.8%) ▲Depression (26.2%) ▲Insomnia (19.0%) ▲Anxiety (16.8%) ▲Alcohol Use Disorder (16.5%) ▲Suicidal Thoughts (13.7%).

When divided by life cycle stages, the prevalence of all mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and insomnia was highest among young adults, followed by middle-aged and elderly groups in descending order.

Among all generations, people in their 30s showed the highest rates of ▲Depression (30.9%) ▲Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (36.2%) ▲Insomnia (22.7%) ▲Alcohol Use Disorder (22.7%). Those in their 20s had higher rates of ▲Anxiety (21.7%) ▲Suicidal Thoughts (1.54%).

Regarding marital status, unmarried individuals had higher prevalence rates for all mental health problems, and one-person households showed higher prevalence compared to multi-person households. In particular, the gap in depression prevalence between unmarried (32.6%) and married (20.9%) individuals was significant. Symptoms of insomnia (24.5%), alcohol use disorder (20.8%), and depression (20.6%) were also notably higher in one-person households compared to multi-person households.

Unemployment and Low Income Increase Depression

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Among employment types, the unemployed group had the highest rates of depression (36.3%) and insomnia (23.3%). Regular wage workers showed the highest rate of alcohol use disorder at 19.5% compared to other employment types. Unpaid family workers had the highest rate of post-traumatic stress symptoms at 43.1%.

By income level, the group with the lowest household income under 2 million KRW showed high prevalence rates of depression (30.8%), anxiety (18.4%), and insomnia (20.8%). Post-traumatic stress symptoms were most prevalent (35.8%) in the income group earning 6 to 7.99 million KRW. The group with the highest household income of over 10 million KRW showed the highest prevalence of alcohol use disorder (19.0%) compared to other income groups.

Stress factors related to mental health problems varied by generation and type of mental health issue. For depression, economic difficulties were a major factor across young adults, middle-aged, and elderly groups. Elderly individuals with depression also experienced significant stress from the death of close persons (60.4%) or physical illness and disability (59.3%).

It is pointed out that to address the diverse mental health problems and needs of Seoul citizens, an expanded system beyond the traditional mental health service framework focused on patients with mental illnesses and high-risk groups is necessary.

The research team stated, "While mental health welfare centers continue to focus on managing severe mental illnesses and high-risk suicide groups, it could be an alternative to have various health and welfare infrastructures and specialized institutions for different target groups handle common mental health issues experienced by the general public." They also suggested active promotion to make mental health less intimidating for the general public.

They added, "Everyone should be able to approach mental health lightly and comfortably, and for those who need mental health services but cannot access them due to lack of information, providing information to enable service utilization is essential."

Stress Management Tips for a Healthy Body and Mind

1. Objectively observe yourself and strive to improve.
-Focus on the here and now, the place where you are living and breathing, and be able to enjoy your life.
2. Overcome stress with gratitude and physical movement.
-Try to find things to be thankful for as you reflect on your day before going to sleep every night.
-Open your heart first and spend joyful time with family, life mentors, and true friends who helped you during difficult times.
-If you are struggling with stress that seems impossible to resolve at this moment, run to a park or mountain and breathe in the fresh air deeply.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.