Isolation and economic woes as well as lack of support are blamed for suicidal tendencies among teens
More than 50 percent of suicide victims in Malaysia from 2019-2021 were teenagers who suffered from stress due to isolation and economic hardships, says a suicide prevention group. (Photo: AFP)
Financial constraints, isolation, and depression stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic were among the major factors behind most cases of teenage suicides in Malaysia, reports a suicide prevention group.
A total of 1,708 Malaysians committed suicides between January 2019 and May 2021, the Sun newspaper reported on April 19 citing data from the police. About 51 percent or 872 victims were aged between 15 and 18.
Befrienders KL, a non-profit suicide prevention organization, said isolation and economic issues were among the driving factors behind teenage suicides.
“The majority of those who were contemplating suicide and came to us for counseling cited financial constraints and depression brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said the organization’s executive director Kenny Lim.
Lim said callers to their suicide prevention helpline were mostly young people suffering from mental distress.
“Every individual who loses his life to suicide has been impacted emotionally, socially, and economically. Most of our callers are struggling with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, relationship issues as well as family matters,” he further added.
Lim pointed out that those committing suicide often indicated the issues faced by them and suggested that society needs to pay attention to them.
“Recognizing warning signs is crucial to preventing suicides. Up to 80 percent of individuals who attempt or die by suicide exhibit warning signs, such as talking about death,” Lim said.
“Other signs include a sense of hopelessness, withdrawal, loss of interest, absenteeism, making final preparations, behavioral changes, and extreme changes in sleep and eating patterns. It is important to take these signs seriously and seek help immediately,” he further added.
Lim stated that it was important to focus on increasing the number of mental health professionals in the country, particularly in the public sector, to ensure affordability.
Malaysian Medics International, a medical student-led organization, reported in February last year, the country only had 479 registered psychiatrists, which is much lower than one psychiatrist or psychologist per 10,000 population.
The group noted that Malaysia has an estimated total population of 32.7 million which would ideally require an estimated 3,270 psychologists or psychiatrists to cater to the high demand effectively.
Lim also stressed the need for families to have more open conversations about mental health issues.
“Parents should engage children in conversations and allow them to speak freely about their feelings and emotions, and not shy away from such topics just because it could become uncomfortable at times,” Lim said.
Lim said empathy towards those who are struggling with mental health is necessary and society “must avoid labeling them with negative terms.”
“Mental disorder is not a personal weakness, but rather a health condition which can be managed with proper treatment and support,” Lim further added.
According to the state-sponsored 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey, 424,000 children had mental health problems in Malaysia.
The report highlighted that 42.9 percent of children or teenagers faced a problem with peers, 15.9 percent faced conduct or behavioral issues, 8.3 percent faced emotional issues, and 2.3 percent faced hyperactivity.
In 2016, the Malaysian Psychiatric Association said that the country recorded about 50 rise in the number of depressed patients from 2011 to 2015, and more people were expected to experience increased stress due to work and family pressure in the coming years, Malay Mail reported.
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