Suicide rates rise in Hong Kong

Data shows that suicide rates of students rise in Hong Kong as 22 teenage suicide attempts or deaths were recorded in 3 months which is double the number recorded for the same period last year.

Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai, founding director of the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong said that immediate action is needed from our society. He said young people who attempt suicide often feel a great sense of helplessness, and in order to help them find happiness, it is crucial to provide them with hope. The researcher also called on youngsters to actively seek out help.

Usually, self help is hard. If a student can help himself or herself, probably he or she will not choose to end their lives. Find your treehole and cherish life.

Meanwhile, Lawmaker Lillian Kwok Ling-lai said the pandemic may have affected students' communication and expressive abilities, leading to the urgent need for more counseling support. She also suggested increasing the number of professional counselors in schools.

Li Kin-man of the Hong Kong Association For School Discipline And Counseling Teachers, believed that schools should also do their part in alleviating the situation, come up with ways to reduce students' stress and improve their mental health.

Students will have to face more problems in the future. Adults face more different times like job loss, infertility, car accidents etc. It is important to establish a positive thinking to survive in negative situation.

In fact, a study published in 2019 conducted by Lewina O. Lee found that people with the highest levels of optimism had an 11 to 15 percent longer life span on average than those who practiced little positive thinking.

Lately, a movie Time Still Turns the Pages is about to be released in the cinema. The movie is also about childhood trauma and student suicide tragedies in Hong Kong.

What causes traumas? A traumatic event is a shocking, scary, or dangerous experience that can affect someone emotionally and physically. Traumatic experiences can initiate strong emotions and physical reactions that can persist long after the event.

Research shows that child trauma survivors can be more likely to have long-term health problems (e.g. diabetes and heart disease) or to die at an earlier age. Traumatic stress can also lead to increased use of health and mental health services and increased involvement with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Adult survivors of traumatic events may also have difficulty in establishing fulfilling relationships and maintaining employment.

Therefore, holistic health is important that is an approach to wellness that simultaneously addresses the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual components of health. The energy we put out in the world is the energy we get back. Let's inhale positivity, exhale negativity.