The mental health of about 4.43 million adults in Taiwan this year has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mental Health Foundation said yesterday, citing its nationwide mental health survey.
The average overall mental health score of respondents, adults aged 20 or older, was 82.4, higher than the “pass” score of 80, which is a good sign, the foundation said.
However, 27.7 percent of respondents scored lower than 80, implying that an estimated 4.43 million adults have relatively poor mental health, the survey showed.
.Photo: CNA
Psychiatrist Yang Tsung-tsair (楊聰財), convener of the foundation’s mental health index division, said that in the “physical and mental health” aspect of the survey, record-high percentages reported three symptoms — poor sleep quality (40.2 percent), anxiety (41.1 percent) and poor memory (40.2 percent).
In the “life control” aspect, 36.6 percent of respondents felt that they “lacked a sense of belonging” and 22.2 percent felt that “the future would not get better,” Yang said, adding that lacking a sense of belonging can lead to feelings of loneliness or depression.
Questions about attitudes toward death were added to the foundation’s annual survey this year, he said, adding that results from such questions suggest that an estimated 2.17 million adults have a high level of fear of death.
The average mental health score among such respondents was 77.8, he said.
National Taiwan University professor emeritus of psychiatry Hwu Hai-gwo (胡海國), the foundation’s chairman, said that the pandemic has affected attitudes toward death, with those whose livelihoods were seriously affected likely feeling a greater sense of fear.
Having a positive attitude toward death can improve mental strength, but it is lacking in Taiwan’s society, so people are encouraged to receive more death education and learn to improve the stability of their living environment to avoid anxiety and poor mental health, Hwu said.
People under 40 are generally more mentally resilient and capable of finding resources to solve problems, but elderly people tend to be less resilient, so they should be treated with extra care to help them maintain their quality of life, he said.
While Taiwan is entering a post-pandemic era, people with greater sensitivity might still feel anxious and afraid to go out, so society should be tolerant of such people and help them return to a normal life, he said.
Even if people have financial difficulties, they can still have a high mental health score if they feel a sense of belonging, which can be achieved through family or social interaction with non-family members, so friends who show support can help reduce feelings of loneliness, Hwu said.
The foundation suggests that people relieve anxiety by performing abdominal breathing to relax the body, exercising to increase dopamine, endorphins and serotonin, maintaining a regular sleeping pattern, and writing a gratitude or happiness journal before going to bed, Yang said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is aware that Beijing’s treatment of Hong Kong has weakened any possible sentiment for a “one country, two systems” arrangement for Taiwan, and has instructed Chinese Communist Party (CCP) politburo member Wang Huning (王滬寧) to develop new ways of defining cross-strait relations, Japanese news magazine Nikkei Asia reported on Thursday. A former professor of international politics at Fu Dan University, Wang is expected to develop a dialogue that could serve as the foundation for cross-strait unification, and Xi plans to use the framework to support a fourth term as president, Nikkei Asia quoted an anonymous source
LUCKY DATE: The man picked the 10th ‘Super Red Envelope’ in a lottery store in Taoyuan’s Jhongli because he broke up with his girlfriend on Jan. 10 A man who recently broke up with his girlfriend won a NT$1 million (US$32,929) prize in the “NT$20 million Super Red Envelope” lottery after picking a card based on the date of their breakup, Taiwan Lottery Co said yesterday. The man, in his 20s, bought the 10th ticket at a lottery store in Taoyuan’s Jhongli District (中壢), because he broke up with his girlfriend on Jan. 10, the store owner told the lottery company. The “Super Red Envelope” lottery was a limited offering by the company during the Lunar New Year holiday, which ended yesterday. The cards, which cost NT$2,000 each, came with
A senior US senator on Monday questioned the willingness of some US allies to help defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion. Although Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) expects the US and Japan to respond in a war in the Taiwan Strait, he was “a little less confident what our other allies would do,” US Senator John Cornyn said. Australia and New Zealand have voiced support for Taiwan, but it “is a far cry from committing troops to repel an invasion,” Cornyn said during a discussion on China, Russia and the state of US military readiness at a forum hosted
TOURISM BOOST: The transportation system could help attract more visitors to the area, as the line is to connect multiple cultural sites, a city councilor said Residents in New Taipei City’s Ankeng District (安坑) said the local light rail system might have a positive influence, but raised questions about its practicality. The Ankeng light rail system, which is to commence operations after the Lunar New Year holiday, would cut travel time for commuters from Ankeng to downtown Taipei or New Taipei City by 15 to 20 minutes, the city government said. According to the initial plan, there would be one train every 15 minutes during peak time and additional interval trains would run between the densely populated Ankang Station (安康) and Shisizhang Station (十 四張). To encourage people to
RSS