Hong Kong groups issue pamphlet to help friends and family spot suicide risks
Joint initiative provides advice on identifying people at risk and getting them help they need
“I am worried about you because you look sad ... Do you want to talk? Is there any way I can help?”
Starting a conversation with someone facing emotional issues or with suicidal tendencies might be difficult, so researchers, a leading social networking site and youth and suicide prevention groups have come up with pointers for those who want to broach the sensitive subject with the vulnerable.
The suggestions can be found in a pamphlet released on Wednesday as part of a joint initiative by the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Facebook, the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, Save the Children Hong Kong and the Samaritans.
According to the latest findings by the centre on student suicide cases between September 2013 and April 2016, about 30 per cent of the deceased had been diagnosed with psychiatric problems and about 26 per cent had made suicide-related posts online or such searches. But less than 9 per cent of them were known to social services for their problems.
“The stigma against those with mental problems has caused the emotionally distressed to refrain from seeking professional help,” the centre’s director, Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai, said.
May Ly, a project consultant at the Samaritans, pointed out that when young people deal with problems, they often prefer talking to their friends who they find more trustworthy and easier to talk to.
The organisations have called for family, friends and colleagues to act as “gatekeepers” to encourage those who need help to share their pain and seek help.
The pamphlet also includes information on suicide warning signs and telephone numbers for professional help.
A total of 5,000 pamphlets will be distributed in selected schools and at street events. An online version is also available on all the partner organisations’ websites.
“Anyone may encounter difficulties, seeking help from others does not necessarily imply weakness. Everyone can become a good Samaritan by being an emphatic communicator and listener, acting both online and offline in our daily lives,” Yip said.
About two weeks ago, Facebook launched a suicide prevention service in Hong Kong, in which users can report messages that may indicate a friend is at risk, so the social media giant can provide help to the reported individual.
Upon receiving the report, Facebook will assess the risk of self-harm or suicide, and the social networking site will provide assistance such as directing those at risk to talk with a friend or contact a helpline.
