China has come up with a unique solution to address work-related anxiety and depression in burnt-out employees – a “Dislike Going to Work” clinic.
This clinic in Hebei province in northern China has gained widespread attention from social media users across the globe.
How did this clinic come into existence?
The “Dislike Going to Work” clinic is an offshoot of the earlier “Dislike Going to School” clinic, which focused on helping parents address their children’s aversion to school by treating underlying academic stress and emotional challenges.
Parents who had previously taken their children to the school clinic proposed the idea for the “Dislike Going to Work” clinic.
“Previously, when children came to the ‘Dislike Going to School’ clinic, some parents would ask if there was a similar service for adults who do not want to go to work,” said Yue Limin, director of the hospital’s Sleep and Psychology Department and head of the clinic.
What is its aim?
The “Dislike Going to Work” clinic aims to help people who struggle with fatigue, exhaustion, emotional instability, or have a general sense that their work is meaningless.
“But if we label it directly as anxiety or depression, some patients may feel stigma,” said Yue.
She said the initiative was started in the hope that patients would be able to walk into the consultation room without feeling any pressure.
“These surface symptoms often stem from complex psychological or social factors. Our role as professionals is to identify the cause, conduct a systematic assessment and diagnosis, and then provide treatment and support,” Yue said.
How does it help burnt-out workers?
The diagnosis process at “Dislike Going to Work” clinic involves interviews to assess the overall emotional state of patients and physical examinations to rule out organic conditions such as hyperthyroidism.
The hospital then develops a personalised treatment plan for each patient.
Yue noted that the actual number of patients is relatively low, despite the nationwide attention.