Baguio suicide cases up due to Covid-19; most fatalities males

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – Local mental health experts raised concern over drastic increase in number of suicide cases in the city during the first quarter of the year attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic.
    Ricky Ducas, mental health responder of the City Health Services Office, disclosed that for the first quarter of this year, there were 11 suicide incidents documented by the CHSO which is more than double compared to five suicide incidents recorded by the local government during same period last year.
    He added for 2020, there were some 30 suicide incidents documented by the CHSO – 25 of whom were males and five females.
    Ducas urged individuals who notice strange behavior among their family members, relatives, and friends to immediately seek the assistance of mental health experts to prevent the situation from worsening that could result to drastic actions the subjects may take.
    He said mental health experts are providing free psychological, neurological and psychiatric consultation to individuals who seek their help for appropriate guidance for them to recover from the current situation they are experiencing.
    For those who have been diagnosed, CHSO mental health responders have provided individuals with free medicines in coordination with private individuals who are helping in the advocacy to effectively and efficiently address mental health issues of individuals who had been heavily impacted by the ongoing health crisis.
    According to him, it would be best for people encountering early signs of mental health problems to seek the assistance of experts so that they will be given the appropriate guidance and medication to help them recover from the situation they are currently facing.
    Ducas said the pandemic had a significant impact on mental health of individuals because of tremendous effect on economy which affected their lives.
    Aside from biological factors and trauma, he said one of major factors that triggered the drastic increase in number of individuals encountering mental health issues was impact of the pandemic to economy not only in the city but also in the whole world.
    The mental health responder said anxiety and depression were initial indications of mental health issues and it is still best for people to immediately seek guidance of experts who can prevent their situation from worsening.