00:00There is alarm here at the legislature over a recent rise in the number of youth suicides.
00:05Today lawmakers and academics are gathered inside to discuss what's happening and what
00:10to do about it.
00:12Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among 15 to 24-year-olds, and the number
00:17of children under 15 dying of suicide has been going up too, breaking 13,000 in 2023.
00:23From family pressure, to tensions with peers and teachers at school, to online bullying
00:28and even copycat suicides after a famous person ends their life, there are many reasons cited
00:33by people gathered here.
00:35Those with clinical experience say help at school can be limited, and it's often a matter
00:39of parents or teachers raising the alarm before professionals get involved.
00:45In Taiwan, we do have the school, have a counselor, but that counselor is mainly an educator, so
00:54it's not really secular.
00:56The main thing is that I think the school, the teacher, and the parents must be sensitive
01:03to knowing that their kids, their students, may suffer from some suicidal ideation, may
01:09have some mental issues.
01:13So they need to report.
01:15They need to bring them or contact us so we can help.
01:20Some of the academics here have been studying suicide trends in Taiwan going back to the 1970s.
01:26And they say that while many aspects of society have changed, many of the same pressures remain.
01:31That doesn't mean they think the issue can't be tackled, though.
01:34They want steps like screening for early detection and intervention, and the introduction of mental
01:39health literacy in schools across the country.
01:42The internet, and the dark content and bullying found on it, is one challenge that's relatively
01:48new.
01:49But the researchers here think the internet can also be a tool for preventing suicide.
01:53It's a traditional connection.
01:54It's a traditional connection.
01:55The connection between the internet is using the internet.
01:56But we have new services, such as a online conference.
01:57Taiwan has two connections.
01:58It's a small scale of communication.
01:59In other countries, this service is more popular.
02:00So we need more resources, additional resources, and more experience.
02:01And we need more resources, additional resources, and more quality.
02:02Taiwan has two services, a small-規模 service.
02:05In other countries, this service has become more popular.
02:10So we need more resources,
02:12support and experience,
02:14and a good quality.
02:16For the young people,
02:18who used to communicate with the internet,
02:20they would also have more support.
02:22And with sitting lawmakers present,
02:24there are hopes that these new measures
02:26will get government backing
02:28before an already tragic situation gets worse.
02:31These suggestions are what those gathered inside here today
02:34see as the best way to stop a deadly trend
02:37spreading among Taiwan's next generation.
02:39John Su and John Van Trieste in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.
Comments