10/5/2026
There is a Chinese term that most Chinese people understand: 卷 (juǎn), often translated as “involution” or used to describe relentless competition. It refers to a situation in which people keep working harder and harder just to get ahead, even when the extra effort brings diminishing returns. No one wants to fall behind, so everyone feels compelled to keep pushing.
My children may have heard this term, but they may not fully understand its implications in Chinese society.
A few days ago, I read a news story about mental health problems in China. It made me wonder whether the intense competition many people experience, beginning in childhood, might be contributing to the problem.
Research shows that the number of people in China living with depression and anxiety has increased substantially over the past three decades. A Global Burden of Disease analysis estimated that the number of people with depressive disorders rose by 54% between 1990 and 2021, while the number with anxiety disorders increased by 31%.
However, the picture becomes more complicated when the figures are adjusted for changes in population size and age structure. By these measures, the prevalence of depression actually declined slightly, while the prevalence of anxiety remained relatively stable. In other words, an increase in the total number of people affected does not necessarily mean that an individual's risk has increased.
Another important source of information is the China Mental Health Survey, published in The Lancet Psychiatry in 2019. This nationally representative study surveyed 32,552 adults across China and estimated that 16.6% had experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives, excluding dementia, while 9.3% had experienced one in the preceding 12 months. Anxiety disorders were the most common category, with a lifetime prevalence of 7.6% and a 12-month prevalence of 5.0%.
These figures do not prove that competition causes mental health problems. But they make me think about the pressures people face, especially young people.
In China, competition can begin remarkably early. Some children face intense pressure to perform well in elementary school, prepare for examinations, attend extracurricular classes, and keep up with their peers. Parents worry that their children will fall behind, and children may absorb those worries. One family's anxiety can become another family's pressure, creating a cycle in which everyone feels compelled to do more.
Anxiety can spread through families, sometimes without anyone intending it. Parents who want the best for their children may communicate their fears through constant reminders, high expectations, or comparisons with other children. The children, in turn, may begin to believe that they are never doing enough.
This makes me think about my little grandson. I talked to my son about the importance of not placing too much pressure on the little boy as he grows up.
Then I realized something: perhaps I should start by examining my own worries. If I want my grandson to grow up with less anxiety, I need to be careful not to pass my anxieties on to his parents, either.
We cannot eliminate competition from life, nor can we protect children from every difficulty. But we can help them understand that their worth is not measured by grades, achievements, or how they compare with others. Perhaps giving the next generation a little less pressure begins with learning to worry a little less ourselves.
