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Taipei City offers help to sufferers battling depression

Taipei City's Health Department has been pushing for the formation of a citywide caring network for people suffering from depression, including a suicide-prevention research center, given that suicide has been one of the nation's top 10 causes of death for seven years in a row, a city health official said yesterday.

Last year, the department put together city-run medical facilities in order to create a joint healthcare network that will provide evaluation and treatment to people suffering from depression.

Once any of the 23 hospitals in the network records an attempted suicide, it will activate the network's assistant operations, including having a psychologist visit the would-be suicide, the official said.

hotline

In addition, a telephone hotline (02-2346-6662) has been set up to provide round-the-clock psychologist consultant services, he said.

A person who is suffering from depression is always in low spirits.

He or she will weep easily, loses interest in everything and feel helpless and disappointed in life.

Depressed people may also display symptoms such as memory deterioration, obviously slow movements, difficulty focusing, anxiety, lassitude, trouble sleeping, headaches and digestive problems, according to the health department.

The city official's comments came the same day that news that comedian Ni Min-jan (倪敏然) had committed suicide after battling depression made headline news.

Ni became famous for impersonating Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮).

Police found his body on Sunday in a mountainous area near Toucheng, Ilan County, after the actor had been missing for more than two weeks.

Police said they believed Ni had hanged himself about 10 days ago.
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