I never felt as though I had a mother

Mo Qing (not his real name), a 30-year-old university teacher who has severe depression

The reason I developed depression is closely related to the experiences I had while growing up. My parents were both teachers and they were always very busy, so I often stayed at home alone after school in the evenings, at weekends and during the summer and winter holidays. I was an only child, and my parents always locked me in the house to ensure that I was safe when they were not at home. I was just a teenager then, and I could only talk with my neighborhood playmates through the locked windows.

The lack of communication meant I never developed the feeling of having a mother. I have never felt as though I had a mother.