Now Worse Than 'Fake News CNN

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An army of social workers, counsellors and other volunteers have mobilised across the city to address a spike in demand for mental health services.

"These students are gambling their youth to defend this place, it's very fragile," said Roy Kwong, a pro-democracy lawmaker with a social work background who has been praised for trying to keep demonstrators from harm.

Winnie Ng, a counsellor and drama therapy practitioner who has volunteered in recent weeks, said many young Hong Kongers were under huge stresses before the latest protests.

She pointed to huge inequality in the cramped city, the world's most unaffordable property market, a pro-Beijing local government that has faced down demands for greater freedoms and the failure of the 2014 protests.

"I personally think when everything in life is related to politics, it pushes life in Hong Kong into a very dejected state," Ng told AFP. "Many people really can't see hope".

Data points to an uptick in calls for help. The Samaritans told South China Morning Post that calls to its line were up five times in the last month.