“I record the number of daily confirmed cases, worrying about being infected. I can’t sleep well at night.”; “I got COVID. I can’t meet my family during quarantine and have no one to talk to when I feel bad. I think I should just commit suicide so that I won’t be a drag on my family…”. These are the complaints from people with whom the visiting counselors for suicide prevention of the Taoyuan Department of Public Health conducted home visits this year. The pandemic seems to have acted as a catalyst for the depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thought of some people. As a reminder from the Department of Public Health, as the pandemic has resulted in new forms of life, citizens who feel anxious, angry, or helpless in the face of changes may seek free psychological counseling services (Taoyuan City Mental Health Center’s website http://dph.tycg.gov.tw/mental/).
According to the statistics of the Department of Public Health, there were 3,793 suicide attempts reported in 2021 and 2,731 as of August 2022. Depressive tendencies, depression, or other mental disorders were the reasons for a majority (about 40%) of the suicides reported. On top of that, due to a recent rise in the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Taiwan, people with anxiety and depression are more likely to fall into a state of hopelessness about the never-ending pandemic, which could aggravate their anxiety and depression and even lead to dysautonomia symptoms. In view of this situation, the Department of Public Health’s visiting counselors for suicide prevention have not only kept their existing regular phone support available, but also increased their visiting frequency in the hope of supporting people with suicidal thoughts to begin a new life.
In addition, the Department of Public Health provides free psychological counseling services in 13 administrative divisions and at the Physical and Mental Health Station for the North 1 Area. People may make an appointment for the services by phone or online. Professional counselors help people cultivate positive thinking and bring back their original pace of life through listening and attending. People are also encouraged to use the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s 1925 suicide prevention hotline, Taiwan Life International’s 1995 hotline, Teacher Chang Foundation’s 1980 hotline, and other resources.