Medical experts have called for more preventative measures to
treat depression from an early stage as suicide emerges as the
fifth-biggest cause of death in China.
"About 60 percent of suicide victims have been diagnosed with
depression; the mental illness is a major cause of suicide," said
Professor Zhang Haiyin, director of the Shanghai Psychological
Consulting Center.
Records from crisis hotlines in Shanghai and Hangzhou also show
that depression is the most common cause of suicide attempts.
In Shanghai, around 4 to 8 percent of the population suffer from
depression to various degrees. Senior citizens, school students and
young women who are pregnant or have given birth are classified in
the high-risk category for depression.
For example, a high school student with depression in Shanghai
committed suicide early this year, because he was worried about
getting poor results in his final exams.
According to Professor Xiao Shifu at the Shanghai Mental Health
Centre, depressed senior citizens are at much higher risk of
attempting suicide than other age groups.
"Depressed elderly people feel they are useless and regard death
as the only relief. They make preparations before suicide and don't
tell others of their attempts," Xiao wrote in a medical
article.
Statistics show that in China the suicide rate among people aged
between 64 to 75 is more than twice the national figure 47 in
100,000.
Medical experts said doctors at general hospitals, especially at
the community level, should be trained to deal with mental health
problems. "Many depressed patients seek medical treatment for
physical problems rather than mental problems," said Zhang.
Suicide has become a major public health problem in China. Every
year at least 250,000 people commit suicide on the mainland, and
the suicide rate is as high as 22.2 in 100,000, the Ministry of
Health reported in 1999. In addition, an estimated 2.5 million
people attempt suicide every year.
After lung cancer, traffic accidents and other illnesses,
suicide is the fifth most common cause of death in China. But of
the population aged between 15 and 34, suicide is the leading cause
of death.
In recent years, the problem has gained more and more attention
from the government and medical experts. Several big cities like
Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu have opened crisis hotlines to
provide counseling support for people considering suicide.
This Sunday marks the 3rd World Suicide Prevention Day with an
international theme of "With understanding, new hope." The focus
this year is on translating current scientific knowledge and
research about suicidal behavior into practical programs and
activities that can reduce suicidal behavior and save lives.
(China Daily September 9, 2006)