[WHY] 'I don't want those negative feelings to leave a scar': Treatment for depression in Korea on the rise

Home > Why >

[WHY] 'I don't want those negative feelings to leave a scar': Treatment for depression in Korea on the rise

Published: 10 Aug. 2024, 07:00 Updated: 29 Aug. 2024, 18:37

JIN EUN-SOO
jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr

A mental health care center run by the city government of Goyang set up a cafe inside to make it more accessible to potential patients. [KIM HONG-JOON]

The strong stigma in Korea toward mental illness sometimes goes as far as ridiculous rumors that having a medical record for it will hinder admission to a prestigious university or employment with a good company.

Being labeled a "crazy person" is one of the biggest fears for Koreans who care much about saving face for themselves and their families.

That, however, is becoming a thing of the past.

Although slow, the tide is nonetheless turning as more people are increasingly reaching out for help when feeling mental distress.

The number of patients who paid a visit to hospitals due to mental illness grew from 2.9 million in 2015 to 4.1 million in 2021, a whopping 72 percent increase, according to data from the National Health Insurance Service.

“I didn’t hesitate that much before going to a big hospital to get my depression treated when I felt my mental condition was in a deteriorating,” said Lee Na-young, a 27-year-old college student living in Songpa District in eastern Seoul who was treated for her depression for four years — through both therapy sessions and medication — and was recently determined recovered by the doctor.

“Going to a mental hospital for treatment is surely not something to brag about, but getting well was more important for me. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life sobbing about something that I don’t even know the reason for.”

[WHY] Why do many young adults choose isolation?

Another 34-year-old office worker in Seoul who goes by the surname Jung regularly visits a clinic near her office during lunch time whenever she feels anxiety, anger or depression.

"I think caring for my mental wellness is not so different from many methods of self-development such as exercising, doing yoga, reading books or learning something new, which is what a lot of my co-workers do during their lunch time," she says.

"I don't want those negative feelings to accumulate inside me and leave a scar; I want to resolve it and let go of it with help from professionals."

Lonely young man feeling depressed and stressed sitting in the dark bedroom. [GETTY IMAGES]

Youth lead the way

The changing perception of the treatment of mental illness has been led by the younger generation, who are less influenced by the traditional values of Korea.

In the past, talking about emotions, especially hardships, was considered taboo by in Confucian values, which dictated the strict code of conduct in the country. The China-originated belief system cherished group harmony, leading to a culture that held obedience to those who are older as a virtue.

Under such conditions, freely expressing negative emotions was strictly shunned.

But the younger demographic in Korea, represented by the so-called MZ generation (millennials and Generation Z), is defying such tradition.

"Interest in the wellness of mental health took off in the mid-2000s, but the speed has picked up recently due to various reasons including a growing desire for self-expression, even if that's hardships, through various channels like social media," Professor Lee Min-ah of Chung-Ang University's Department of Sociology said.

"Getting psychotherapy came from Western culture and Korea was very late to accept it. The younger generation's tendency to deviate from the influence of traditional values has led to widening interest in mental wellness."

The lowered entry barrier has helped people approach psychotherapy in a more casual manner than before. Even if the symptoms aren't that severe, people are opting for counseling at clinics as a preventive measure.

The statistics prove the case. The average number of monthly patients at counseling clinics grew by 22.4 percent in the last two months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019, according to a data analysis by Shinhan Card. The amount of money spent on mental hospitals has surged by 167 percent during the cited period.

"In the past, people ignored symptoms of mental illness even if they were really serious because they could not admit to the fact that their mental condition was unstable at that moment," said Jon Duk-in, a psychiatry professor at Hallym University Medical Center.

"Nowadays, people, usually young women, visit clinics even if the symptoms are light in order to prevent it from becoming a chronic illness, and that is a very positive sign especially among the younger generation, who are more vulnerable to external stress and environmental changes."

Idol-turned-actress Suzy publicly admitted to feeling symptoms of depression in 2013. [YONHAP]

Positive ripple effect

Celebrities or public figures admitting to unstable mental health and getting help are also helping to resolve the longstanding stigma around mental illness.

A recent study by the University of Ulsan's College of Medicine revealed that celebrities going public about mental illness leads to more people getting treatment.

Comparing the number of new patients per 100,000 who were diagnosed with anxiety before 2010, when a slew of celebrities confessed to hardships, and 2021, the figure went up from 65 to 610, posting a 9.4-fold increase, the study said.

Award-winning actor Lee Byung-hun, singer-turned-actress Suzy from K-pop act Miss A and comedian Lee Kyung-kyu are among those who disclosed diagnoses of anxiety or depression around 2010.

"Being able to relate to celebrities, who seem to have perfect lives but seek to better themselves, gives courage to ordinary people to reach out for help for their mental condition," said Professor Shin Young-wook of University of Ulsan's College of Medicine, who led the study.

"It gives them some kind of remedy that struggling mentally is something that's O.K. and can be overcome."

When that public figure is someone who has an image of strength and machismo, the effects get better.

"Like U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, who spoke out about his depression and suicidal thoughts, or Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson, who also shared his experiences with depression, such confessions about struggling with mental health give courage to the public who have hard time even admitting to the fact that they are sick," he said.

What can be done

Although the trend is changing, there's room for further improvement.

Considering the high suicide in Korea, the latest shift in perception is still too meager, experts say.

The country's suicide rate has been No. 1 among OECD countries for more than 20 years, and experts find depression and anxiety to be core reasons.

The government is also approaching the situation with a heavy heart. The Ministry of Health and Welfare recently launching a counseling program for the entire depressed population in the country, the first time a mental health counseling program covering all demographics has been established. Before, such initiatives were fragmented into those targeting the youth or the elderly.

"The program started out to address the high suicide rate in Korea, which was largely found to have derived from a high depression rate," an official from the Welfare Ministry in charge of the program said. "The reason why we are promoting counseling instead of medical treatment at a hospital is to lower the entry barrier and make it more accessible."

Despite the improving perception about mental illness and increasing number of programs to tackle it, such changes could never be the fundamental fix to the high depression rate in Korea, Professor Lee of Chung-Ang University says.

"While a psychiatric approach can help people who are currently experiencing mental illness, without taking care of the societal factors behind the cause of the depression, the number of patients will only increase. For example, in the case of youths, an extremely competitive environment and issues in the labor market have to be resolved first, or else it is not much different from tossing over the problem to the youth to solve themselves."

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]