The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) yesterday said it is offering three free psychological counseling sessions to anyone who has been mentally affected by the random stabbing in Taipei on Friday evening.
Department of Mental Health Director-General Chen Po-hsi (陳柏熹) said the Taipei City Community Mental Health Center has stepped in to provide mental health support to the victims and their family members.
The ministry has also expanded its psychological counseling resources to help people who were affected by the incident, he said.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times
Just like the ministry’s “youth mental health support program,” three free counseling sessions would be offered to anyone who has been mentally affected by the incident, irrespective of their age, Chen said.
A “leniency principle” would be adopted for recognizing eligible recipients: As long as the person is able to subjectively state how they were mentally affected by the incident, they would be eligible for the service and would not need to go through other identity or qualification reviews, he said.
The free counseling program is to run until the end of next year, to ensure affected people do not miss their chance to ask for help, he added.
The funding for the service has been discussed with the local government and the budget has been secured, so mental health support measures can continue, Chen said.
The ministry said it is normal for people who have gone through sudden and violent ordeals to feel nervous or anxious, or repeatedly replay the incident in their mind.
It suggested a simple “five character formula” that could help people stabilize their emotions: secure, calm, self-efficacy, contact and hope (安, 靜, 能, 繫, 望).
People should find an environment that makes them feel “secure” and make good use of the ministry’s support resources, it said.
They could “calm” their emotions by taking deep breaths, doing stretches and avoiding images or information about the incident, it added.
People should maintain their daily routine and life, and regain self-confidence and “self-efficacy” by completing planned and controllable small tasks, and stay in “contact” with friends and family, such as by listening to each other, sharing their feelings and helping each other relieve stress, the ministry said.
To bring a sense of “hope,” they should approach warm and caring massages, remain flexible in the face of change, set achievable short-term goals and have an optimistic outlook, it said.
In related news, Taoyuan Psychiatric Center deputy-superintendent and psychiatrist Lee Chun-hung (李俊宏) on Facebook wrote that oversimplified attribution of a perpetrator’s motives should not be made before the facts are clarified.
The focus should be on reducing harm and subsequent risks, which includes not excessively revealing the perpetrator’s information to reduce the chances of a copycat crime, he said.
The priority should be offering integrated healthcare, mental and social support for the victims and their families, and reducing the risks of mental trauma or secondary trauma in witnesses and frontline workers.
Equally important is enhanced public safety, which not only includes increased security patrols, but also better self-safety awareness and capability to protect oneself, as well as reducing the risk of copycat crimes, he said.
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
BACK TO WINTER: A strong continental cold air mass would move south on Tuesday next week, bringing colder temperatures to northern and central Taiwan A tropical depression east of the Philippines could soon be upgraded to be the first tropical storm of this year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the next cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Monday next week. CWA forecaster Cheng Jie-ren (鄭傑仁) said the first tropical depression of this year is over waters east of the Philippines, about 1,867km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Nokaen by early today. The system is moving slowly from northwest to north, and is expected to remain east of the Philippines with little chance of affecting Taiwan,
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
RSS