Mental health forum held in Shanghai

"For kids, they may not be able to tell you that 'I'm anxious' or 'I'm feeling down' or 'I'm depressed'. Rather, it's very common to see kids who have anxiety tell you they want to go to bathroom," she said.

Some children are facing excessive pressure as their parents' expectations of them are too high, added Jiang.

In terms of barriers to mental health, Hanna Kiviniemi, who has worked in Finland as a family counselor and therapist for 14 years, spoke about the shame that comes with getting emotional.

"We all have the right to scream to show our emotions. Women live longer than men because they release their emotions more," she said.

Participants were then split into four groups to discuss mental health problems related to adolescents, parents, women and the workplace.

"To provide more effective mental health services, it's necessary to listen to the needs of specific groups like women, children and the elderly," said Monica Ma, who has over 10 years of experience as a psychiatrist.

Wu Zongfang contributed to this story.