Nine males and 13 females committed suicide during the second quarter of this year, with the youngest victim aged 12 only, according to a statement by the Health Bureau (SSM) yesterday.
There were 22 suicides among 19 local residents and three non-local residents aged between 12 and 76 between April and June, the statement noted, the number of which was the same as in the first quarter and down by two compared to the same period of last year.
According to an SSM statement in May, 22 males and females – 21 local residents and one non-resident aged between 17 and 75 – died due to suicide in the first three months of this year, and the reasons why they committed suicide “may have been related to” mental illnesses, chronic diseases or physiological disorders, while the causes of suicide in the second quarter “were mainly due to” mental illness, gambling, or financial issues.
In both statements, the bureau underlined that the factors contributing to suicide are complex and often involve mental illness, psychological, socio-economic, familial, interpersonal and biogenetic reasons and, therefore, it is necessary for the whole community to pay attention to, and actively participate in suicide prevention and control as gatekeepers, i.e., to be more in touch with, care for and listen to those around us in our daily lives, while encouraging those who are emotionally disturbed to take an active role in seeking professional help.
The bureau calls upon those who are going through emotional distress or feeling hopeless to call Caritas Macau’s Lifehope Hotline on 2852 5222 and Expat Life Hope on 2852 5777 for emotional counselling services in Chinese and English respectively, while also visiting the bureau’s “Mental Health Information Website” at https://www.ssm.gov.mo/apps1/mentalhealth/ch.aspx#clg28356.
The statements noted that the accessibility of mental health services in Macau is high, and residents can make appointments for the use of mental health services, without the need for referrals, at health centres in Tap Seac, Fai Chi Kei, Areia Preta, Ilha Verde and Praia do Manduco, as well as Taipa’s Lago Health Centre, Ocean Gardens Health Centre, and Coloane’s Seac Pai Van Health Centre.
This poster from the Caritas Macau website shows its Expat Life Hope Hotline 2852 5777 for Macau’s non-Chinese speaking communities.
