Statistics released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in June showed that death by suicide climbed to a staggering 3,787 people last year. In particular, the suicide rate among young people aged 15 to 24 rose from 5.1 per 100,000 people in 2014 to 10.7 last year.
The causes of suicides among young people are closely associated with mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. To help young adults overcome the darkest hours in their lives, the ministry this month began offering people aged 15 to 30 free counseling and therapy sessions three times a year.
As suicide among young people has become a prevalent issue, the international community has also been ratcheting up efforts to prevent it by identifying causes and establishing preventive measures.
In Japan, 332 Japanese elementary, junior-high and high-school students committed suicide in 2018, the highest number in 30 years. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology identified parental conflicts, being reprimanded and scolded by parents, anxiety about future prospects and bullying at school as some of the causes behind the suicides.
Statistics published by the University of Hong Kong in 2021 also showed that suicide among young people had reached a new high. Experts attributed the problem to pressure from schoolwork and family relationships. As economic stress mounted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents also vented their feelings on their children, or even abused them.
Molly Russell’s suicide a few years ago drew the attention of the British public and members of the royal family. Russell’s death can be used as a case in point in suicide prevention.
A 14-year-old schoolgirl from London, Russell killed herself in 2017 after viewing masses of online content about suicide and self-harm on social media platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest, leaving her parents devastated. Following an inquest, London coroner Andrew Walker last year said that Russell “died from an act of self-harm while suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content.”
Molly had viewed many images, video clips and texts concerned with self-harm and suicide, or that were otherwise negative or depressing in nature. Reports said that algorithms used by social media platforms led to unsafe content being “selected and provided” to Molly without her requesting it, which likely had a “negative effect” on her mental health.
Weighing in, Prince William said that online safety among children and young people should be a priority, not an afterthought. In a message of condolence to Russell’s family on Twitter, Prince William wrote: “No parent should ever have to endure what Ian Russell and his family have been through.”
A survey conducted in Taiwan showed that nearly 30 percent of young people have mental health conditions, and one in every five college students needs professional help to cope with depression, but only one in 10 would seek help and might not get it even if they do.
The Ministry of Education should assign more mental health professionals in all schools nationwide and direct them to pay more attention to students who might need help or come from disadvantaged families.
The government should step up efforts to develop a curriculum and instructions about life education to prevent suicide. It should also set up recreational and sports facilities for young people, and establish regulations and guidelines to protect young people from the toxic content on social media.
Chang Sue-chung is a chair professor at Hungkuo Delin University of Technology.
Translated by Rita Wang
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