On August 19th, China celebrates Doctors’ Day. When it comes to doctors, people often think of the image of working tirelessly under bright lights to save patients, but there is a group of people who safeguard others’ minds — they are the psychiatrists. Today is their day, let’s meet six psychiatrists at the Chongqing Mental Health Center and hear their voices.
Deputy Director and Associate Chief Physician Chen Liming:
More and more patients are no longer concealing their conditions out of fear of discrimination, and are more willing to seek help and treatment proactively.
â–² Chongqing Mental Health Center’s Deputy Director and Associate Chief Physician Chen Liming is communicating with a patient. Image provided by the interviewee.
“Psychological health and mental hygiene are linked to personal growth, family harmony, and social cohesion,” said Deputy Director and Associate Chief Physician Chen Liming. In recent years, with the improvement of national policies and increased social attention, patients have received better support in medical assistance, rehabilitation services, and employment support. For example, in Chongqing, the management of severe mental illnesses has been included in basic public health services, providing patients with more comprehensive services and support, and offering free medications to impoverished patients.
It is worth mentioning that the public’s awareness of mental illnesses has been gradually increasing, leading to a reduction in patients’ sense of shame. More and more patients are no longer concealing their conditions out of fear of discrimination, and are more willing to seek help and treatment proactively.
Director of the Second Department of Geriatric Psychiatry and Associate Chief Physician Zhao Xinmin:
Psychiatrists need to undergo self-psychological adjustment as a compulsory course.
â–² Director of the Second Department of Geriatric Psychiatry and Associate Chief Physician Zhao Xinmin at the Chongqing Mental Health Center engaging in a friendly conversation with a patient. Image provided by the interviewee.
Handovers, ward rounds, doctor-patient communication, case discussions… this is the daily work routine of Zhao Xinmin, the director of the Second Department of Geriatric Psychiatry and Associate Chief Physician. Besides focusing on patients’ physical health, it is necessary to constantly observe patients’ emotions, behaviors, and other details and engage in extensive communication with nursing staff and patients daily to adjust treatments promptly.
“Doctors are also ordinary people with their own personalities and emotions, and some are also multitalented.” Zhao Xinmin said, for psychiatrists, self-psychological adjustment is a compulsory course because they encounter a lot of negative emotions during consultations. Without timely regulation, it can deeply harm the doctors themselves.
Director of Addiction Medicine Center and Associate Chief Physician Luo Xingang:
The biggest challenge is the complexity and diversity of individual patients.
â–² Director of Addiction Medicine Center and Associate Chief Physician Luo Xingang at the Chongqing Mental Health Center conducting ward rounds. Image provided by the interviewee.
With society’s rapid development, addiction problems are becoming increasingly common psychological disorders. “70% of people suffer from alcohol addiction, as well as other addictions like drugs, gambling, gaming, and tobacco, with gaming and short video addictions predominantly affecting teenagers aged fifteen to sixteen,” said Director of Addiction Medicine Center and Associate Chief Physician Luo Xingang. As an addiction doctor, the biggest challenge lies in the complexity and diversity of individual patients, as each addict is unique in their addiction reasons, types, severity, and associated psychological and physical health problems, requiring addiction doctors to possess highly individualized assessment and treatment capabilities to deeply understand and address each patient’s specific needs. However, such highly individualized work often demands a significant amount of time and effort, along with the need to continuously update knowledge and skills to keep up with the ever-changing field of addiction research.
“If a particular dependency or addiction affects normal learning and life, causing a lack of interest in other activities, emotional issues, or even accompanying psychological problems, it needs attention and professional treatment,” Luo Xingang said, especially for adolescents where internet addiction often stems from deep-rooted psychological issues such as academic pressure and social difficulties, requiring early interventions for better outcomes.
Director of Sleep Medicine Center and Associate Chief Physician Wen Yan:
Hoping for more societal tolerance and understanding towards mental health.
â–² Director of Sleep Medicine Center and Associate Chief Physician Wen Yan at the Chongqing Mental Health Center in a consultation session. Image provided by the interviewee.
“I have been working in mental health for nearly 20 years, and I deeply feel the pain and helplessness of patients, as well as society’s insufficient understanding of mental health,” said Director of Sleep Medicine Center and Associate Chief Physician Wen Yan. Sleep disorders often manifest as early signs or accompanying symptoms of mental illnesses; however, many people do not take sleep issues seriously enough. They often consider symptoms like insomnia and vivid dreams as temporary fatigue or stress-induced, failing to seek professional help promptly, leading to the gradual worsening of the condition.
“I am comforted and encouraged by the increasing awareness of mental health and improving understanding of mental illnesses with medical advancements and societal progress. I hope that society can be more tolerant and understanding towards mental health to bring hope and recovery possibilities to more patients,” Wen Yan expressed.
Associate Director and Chief Physician of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Wang Minjian:
All kinds of psychological issues exhibit a trend towards younger ages.
â–² Associate Director and Chief Physician of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Wang Minjian at the Chongqing Mental Health Center guiding parents on how to communicate with their children. Image provided by the interviewee.
“Currently, various psychological problems are showing a trend towards younger ages,” Wang Minjian stated, attributing this trend to several reasons:
– Social factors: The current academic and employment pressures create a tense atmosphere filled with pressure, leading to anxiety among children.
– Social interactions: Reduced playtime and diminished childhood interactions affect children’s natural disposition, causing them to struggle in social settings and cope poorly with stress.
– Changing disease spectrum: Neurodevelopmental disorders have been on the rise in children over the last two decades. Identifying and intervening early in conditions like autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and tic disorders can minimize future negative impacts. Wang Minjian emphasized that if parents notice any biases in their children’s language, motor skills, social interactions, interests, attention, or multiple aspects compared to their peers, seeking medical advice early is crucial.
Director of General Adult Psychiatry Department Three and Chief Physician Zhang Daijiang:
Young doctors should be open-minded, brave, and possess noble professional ethics.
â–² Director of General Adult Psychiatry Department Three and Chief Physician Zhang Daijiang at the Chongqing Mental Health Center guiding young doctors in patient communication. Image provided by the interviewee.
“Psychiatry is the study of one of the world’s most complex phenomena, involving multidisciplinary knowledge,” said Director of General Adult Psychiatry Department Three and Chief Physician Zhang Daijiang to young doctors. He advised them to be open-minded, brave, possess noble professional ethics, commit to lifelong learning, accumulate innovation, broaden perspectives, solidify professional knowledge, and clinical skills, consistently improve interpersonal and written communication skills, and prioritize self-care to enhance resilience and cope with various pressures and setbacks.
