With the number of repeat suicide attempts in Taiwan pointing to a serious shortfall in the nation's ability to care for suicidal individuals, a prevention center was inaugurated yesterday at a leading hospital in Taipei.
Recently, hospitals throughout the nation have reported a rise in repeat suicide attempts. Some of the patients have attempted suicide as much as 30 times. These people have appeared in emergency rooms so frequently that medical teams often know them by sight.
According to doctors familiar with suicide, one out of every two people who attempt suicide have tried at least three times to end his or her life.
Prevention
At the opening ceremony for Mackay Memorial Hospital's Suicide Prevention Center yesterday, Department of Health (DOH) Minister Hou Sheng-mou (
According to Liu Hsun-ying (劉珣英), the director of the Suic-ide Prevention Center, every year the hospital treats 557 patients who have attempted suicide, with 80 percent diagnosed with mental disorders and 50 percent having a record of three or more previous attempts.
Liu went further, saying that "those who committed suicide have all attempted suicide before, and one out of 10 have repeatedly attempted to end their life."
Some of these patients have attempted to kill themselves as many as 30 times, and have adopted a variety of different approaches, he said.
Those who have attempted suicide are likely to make another attempt within three months to one year, he said.
Doctors suggest that family members of suicidal patients put away hazardous items. Family members should also avoid agitating them.
Factors
Liu said that there are a number of factors that can trigger suicide such as mental disorders, excessive drinking, drug addiction and unemployment.
He also said that those with suicidal thoughts will reveal their willingness to die to people who are close or significant to them.
Liu stressed, however, that the center was only a link in a chain of measures boosting suicide prevention.
"Some patients may come from violent families or may be depressed because they are out of a job. There needs to be a connection with domestic-violence groups or other government agencies, such as the Council of Labor Affairs who can help with the root cause of the problem," she said.
Liu said that the center also aimed to provide training with regard to suicide prevention for staff at the hospital.
additional reporting by Jenny Chou
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