The Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement yesterday that 23 people – 16 males and 7 females – committed suicide in the first quarter, an increase of eight cases compared with the fourth quarter of last year, but a decrease of five cases compared to the same period last year.
According to the statement, the victims were aged between 18 and 92, including 19 victims who were local residents.
The statement pointed out that chronic, physical and mental diseases were the most probable causes of the suicides.
The bureau acknowledged that the causes of suicide are complex and often involve mental illness, as well as psychological, socioeconomic or family issues, as well as interpersonal relationships or biological factors.
In order to help reduce the incidence of suicide, the bureau said, residents should stay connected, communicate more often and care more about people around them in their daily lives, while also encouraging people suffering from emotional distress to actively seek professional help.
The bureau also said that its health centres in Tap Seac, Fai Chi Kei, Areia Preta, Ocean Gardens and other locations are providing mental health services.
Those who need free psychological consultations can call Caritas Macau’s lifeline on 2852 5222 for Cantonese and 2852 5777 for English speakers.
Meanwhile, the statement reaffirmed that the local government pays great attention to the mental health of its residents, adding that through “effective” communication and cross-departmental cooperation mechanisms between government entities and community organisations, it continues to improve service accessibility and expand social support networks to mobilise public concern and referral of information from different groups, such as families, schools and communities so that relevant government entities can quickly intervene and eliminate possible crises.
Image courtesy of The Gleaner
