Hundreds of Thousands of Indonesian Children Detected with Anxiety and Depression Symptoms, Heed the Warning Signs
The Indonesian Health Ministry (Kemenkes) has identified indicators of mental health problems among hundreds of thousands of children in Indonesia.
These findings emerged after approximately 7 million children participated in health screening through the Free Health Check (CKG) programme during the 2025–2026 period.
The data revealed that 4.4 per cent, or approximately 338,000 children, displayed symptoms of anxiety disorder. This figure is of serious concern as children’s mental health significantly impacts their development.
Parents must understand the various signs that may appear when children experience anxiety or depression. Child and adolescent psychologist Gloria Siagian, M.Psi., stated that extreme changes in behaviour and emotion can be early indicators that a child is experiencing anxiety disorder or depression.
“If there are changes in behaviour or emotion that are extreme, for example, a cheerful child becoming withdrawn, a child who gets angry frequently and withdraws from social interactions,” she explained in an interview, noting that such changes are typically quite apparent to parents and those around the child.
A previously active and sociable child can suddenly become quieter, withdrawn, or display excessive negative emotions. This condition requires attention, particularly if these changes persist for an extended period and do not revert to the child’s baseline.
“Then the child might self-harm. Self-harm is not just limited to traditional self-harm, but they might suddenly engage in extreme dieting or do other things that cause harm,” Gloria added.
Such behaviour often represents a form of expression for emotional pressure that the child finds difficult to articulate. For this reason, parents need to be more attentive to unusual changes in their child’s habits or behaviours that appear risky to their health.
Parents should familiarise themselves with parenting approaches and consider consulting professionals for support when such signs are observed.