New: You can now listen to articles.TAIPEI: While most college students fill their time with classes and partying, Mr Wu Yi-fan was going through the darkest moment of his life.
He could not put a name to what he was feeling until he sought medical help and was diagnosed with depression. Last year, more than 215,000 Taiwanese under the age of 30 took medication for depression symptoms – over double the number recorded a decade ago. The chairwoman of its Taipei branch, Ms Liu Su Fang, said her young clients often express doubts about whether their job will lead to good prospects, or if they will be able to attain a steady income and stable livelihood.Another non-profit organisation John Tung Foundation said the prolonged use of social media has contributed to low self-esteem among young people and made them more susceptible to symptoms of depression.
Mr Ivan Yeo, deputy director and lived experience lead at Asian Family Services in New Zealand, pointed to another factor: the COVID-19 pandemic.