More and more children and teenagers are being brought to hospitals in HCM Citywith mental disorders caused by parental pressure to perform well at school andother family-related stress factors, according to doctors.

The HCM CityMental Hospital receives nearly 1,000 such children suffering every month.

Asst Prof Dr Nguyen Hoi Loan of the Ha Noi Social Sciences andHumanities University said children's mental disorders were caused by the heavyacademic workload, especially at the secondary and high-school levels, andteachers forcing them to cram.

Do Thi Le Hang of the Institute ofPsychology said studying without a break to relax also caused stress and madethem susceptible to mental disorders.

The pressure became even moresevere to get through university entrance exams, she said.

Other factorsthat make the children vulnerable to mental disorders are their parents gettingdivorced and quarrelling with each other.

Mental disorders were also acause of suicide among children and teenagers, doctors said.

The HCMCity Pediatric Hospital No 1 and 2 admit 40-60 children who attempt suicideevery year.

Dr Thai Thanh Thuy, head of the psychiatry ward at PediatricHospital No 2, said most parents failed to find out their children's mentaldisorder in time or treat it.

Meanwhile, there were 35 suicide cases,mostly among youngsters, in Vinh Long and Quang Tri provinces and Can Tho, DaNang and Ha Noi cities from February 13 to 23, initial reports from thehospitals said.


Doctor of Psychology Nguyen Kim Quy said people from13 to 20 years old often adopted a psychological trait called"self-mortification" when overcoming troubles or disappointment in their lives;the highest form of which is killing themselves.

"Young people in partlack skills to face and cope with failures and difficulties life throws at us,"she said.

"If they are equipped with adequate living skills, they shouldbe able to find an alternative solution which will not end up with them hurtingthemselves"./.