wfn.org | Movie Star's Suicide Calls Taiwan's Views of Depression

[Taiwan Church News <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>]

into Question
Taiwan Church News 2667, April 13, 2003
Reported by Ku Hao-jan. Translated and rewritten by David
Alexander

   The April 1st suicide of Hong Kong movie star Chang Kuo-rong
has incited a great deal of discussion in Taiwan on the topic of
depression.  A recent survey of high school students in Taipei
City found over ten thousand of them reporting symptoms, and as
many as 7 out of every thousand in need of medical help.  Experts
say that suicidal behavior has emotional aspects, and youth are
especially susceptible. Adults must pay attention to the
emotional problems of their children to forestall unfortunate
outcomes.
   The survey was conducted by the Tun-an Social Welfare
Foundation and questioned 17,500 students in 13 Taipei City High
Schools.  Fully 40% of the respondents, both male and female,
reported times of "low spirits".
   At a recent seminar, some students said that among their
classmates they often see depression, but none of them know where
to go for help.  Some students said that in the school
environment a student's personality and appearance are very
important, but what is offered to them by the educational system
is focused only on examination scores.	"Teachers and parents,"
they said, "pressure students."  They ask, "Do the adults even
know what we're thinking about?"
  In response to these students' reported feelings, Taipei
Municipal Ho-ping Hospital Psychology Department Doctor Li
Huei-wen, called on young people to openly question matters.
They must first search out data and ask for help. Psychologist
Chiang Chue-nan that depressed people must be offered acceptance
and treated with patience.  In addition, if those near to a
depressed person notice he or she has become particularly
quarrelsome, they should look for the underlying signs of
depression.
   Chen Ying, a director of Taipei's Social Workers' Association
who works at Mackay Memorial Hospital, said that suicide, like
that of the Hong Kong movie star, is often a way of making a
point. Ms Chen has been active in suicide prevention counseling
for many years and says that 90% of suicides can be prevented.
Family members, she asserts, are in the front lines of listening
to and talking with people who plan to take their lives.  Many
cases can be avoided if we pay attention to listening.

For more information: Chen Ying, Mackay Memorial Hospital
www.mmh.org.tw

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