Suicide prevention requires national response

Posed photo of a person with depression. PHOTO: ST FILE

The prevalence of suicide mortality among the elderly, youth and males is a significant societal concern.

There is a prevailing narrative that suicide remains largely a mental health problem, and organisations, including the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) and social and religious institutions, have stepped up their preventive efforts along with this understanding.

Suicidal behaviour indicates deep unhappiness but not necessarily a mental disorder. Many people living with a mental disorder are not affected by suicidal behaviour, and not all people who take their own lives have a mental disorder.

I welcome efforts by individuals such as The Straits Times copy-editor Linda Collins, who has taken us on a journey into her own experiences in the aftermath of her daughter's suicide in her book Loss Adjustment (Going briefly mad with grief, Sept 29).

It is also timely that SOS, tapping its 50 years of suicide prevention, has released a book resource, Do I Matter, for the public.

However, it is time that we work towards a comprehensive national response for suicide prevention.

This includes the enhancement of research into the local context, identifying and targeting vulnerable groups, improving the assessment and management of suicidal behaviour, increasing awareness through public education, improving societal attitudes and eliminating the stigma towards people with mental disorders or who exhibit suicidal behaviours.

The media should also play its part in adopting better policies and practices whenever it reports suicide cases.

There should also be greater support for individuals and families bereaved by suicide.

In fact, there is a need to consolidate our efforts under a government-led liaison office that addresses suicide prevention that involves non-governmental organisations, academic institutions and ministries across health, education, manpower, social and family development as well as communications and information.

Suicide prevention efforts require coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors of society. These efforts must be comprehensive, integrated and synergistic, as no single approach suffices for an issue as complex as suicide.

Chen Jiaxi

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 05, 2019, with the headline Suicide prevention requires national response. Subscribe