Spike In Suicides Nationwide During MCO
The stress of the MCO is getting to everyone.
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Between the months of March and July, the National Fire and Rescue Department had attended to 88 cases of attempted suicide nationwide. Of this number, 78 were rescued, 7 were injured, and 3 attempts were fatal.
What you need to know: The MCO period saw a spike in suicide rates, with those who attempted suicide citing reasons such as being depressed, having a mental illness, suffering failed relationships, or in financial distress.
A majority of cases happened in urban areas, with Selangor having the most cases (31), followed by Kuala Lumpur (13), Sarawak (7) and Johor (6).
Who said what: National Fire and Rescue Department Operations director Nor Hisham Mohammad noted that of the 4 months, June was the busiest month with 21 cases nationwide. Additionally, there were no deaths in June either.
He also noted that the true number of attempted suicide could be higher, as the 88 cases merely reflected those handled by the department.
Why it matters: The stress of the MCO, especially financially, has been extremely difficult for many Malaysians. Many have lost their jobs, retrenched, and are still unable to find new employment. Others find that general stress and anxiety levels have grown to uncontrollable proportions.
Even the government-run Covid-19 hotline during the MCO period recorded a significant 46.8% of calls linked to mental health issues instead of the actual coronavirus itself.
A spike in attempted suicide only shows that our society is under immense pressure. Despite ruling suicide as an illegal act as a deterrent, the fact of the matter is that suicide is an act of desperation. People who attempt suicide are at the end of their rope and require help, not more criticism.
Read more:
Suicides spike during MCO [The Star]
Malaysia Punishes Suicide To Deter People From It, But Did We Succeed? [TRP]
Deaths Are Lonelier During MCO, Which Makes The Grieving Process All The More Important [TRP]
8,380 Calls Made To Covid-19 Helpline Tied To Mental Health Problems, Says Health D-G [TRP]
WAO: Calls To Domestic Abuse Hotline Tripled During MCO Period [TRP]
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