CITING a 23 percent increase in suicide cases in 2021 compared to the preceding year, the City Health Services Office (CHSO) has stated that they are intending to expand the coverage of the city’s mental health program this year.
The program, which includes free assistance to individuals seeking consultations, basic medications, and other interventions, the health and wellness program information-education-communication (IEC) for the public, also includes a helpline for patients suffering from mental health problems.
The Baguio City Health Services Office (CHSO) reported an increase in suicide incidents in the city in 2021 and majority of those who committed suicide were males.
Of the 37, four were not residents of the city.
However, the helpline (09190696361) is only available from 8:00 A.M, to 5:00 P.M., but the National Center for Mental Health has all-day 24-hour helplines (09178998727; 09663514518; 09086392672).
CHSO Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo disclosed that the city saw 37 suicide incidents in 2021, 32 of whom were male and five of whom were female. Ages ranged from 10 to 70 and above years old.
Mental health program coordinator Nurse Ricky Ducas said that majority of the incidents were from among the young adult age group, who he says are among the most vulnerable and prone to suicide due to developmental needs for the community, which have been heavily hit by the COVID pandemic.
Ducas also said that diagnoses of mental health issues in the city are mostly among younger age groups and the working adult age group.
According to Ducas, while the number of patients seeking professional help has increased, especially among the youth, many parents and elders remain dismissive of mental health issues.
He also raised concerns over growing mental health problems leading to a dependency on alcohol in the city.
Nurse I Ricky Ducas, mental health responder and coordinator of the program said the 2021 number represents a 23 percent increase from that of 2020 when the city listed a total of 30 cases. In 2019, there were 27 cases recorded.
“The increase in our suicide cases is alarming and the upturn in male suicide mostly belonging to the young adult age group is staggering,” Ducas said.
Ducas said young adults are among the most vulnerable to suicide as their developmental milestones on love and belonging are rooted on their peers and the community.
The CHSO also noted rampant reports of deliberate self-harm among the youth and assessments showed links to dysfunctional family conditions and exhaustion from the pandemic.
Mental health experts explained that these are the parasuicidal type of self-directed violence where the patients’ intention was not really to take their own lives.
Ducas said on the whole, there was an increase in the number of common mental health concerns in 2021 particularly depression, anxiety and psychosis.
He said most of those diagnosed with said mental health problems under the CHSO’s mental health program belonged to the younger age groups followed by the working age category.
There was also a noted increase in patients who sought professional help as compared to the previous year because people now tend to be more open about their mental health issues, especially the youth but the challenge remains to be that their parents and elders tend to discount the mental health problems.
“Minsan pumupunta ang bata na mag-isa to seek help at kapag tinanong asan ang guardian for consent, sinasabhan daw kasi ng mga parents or support system na gawa-gawa lang nila or napapanood lang nila or worst is nasabihan sila na ano dapat ikaka-depress eh binigay naman pangangailangan at nakakakain naman sila,” Ducas said.
He said another growing concern is the fact that persons undergoing mental health issues turn to alcohol use as their coping mechanism and this poses another problem as this can lead to abuse and other health issues.
To help address the problem, the city’s mental health program will step up its service to provide free assistance to individuals seeking consultations, basic medications and other interventions. This is on top of the health and wellness program information-education-communication (IEC) strategies regularly conducted for the public.
As part of the strategies on the early detection of mental disorders among individuals, the CHSO has made available a helpline that could be immediately contacted by people suffering from mental disorders open from 8am to 5pm: 09190696361.
Beyond said hours, people can reach the National Center for Mental Health 24/7 hotlines: 09178998727; 09663514518; 09086392672.
The city’s mental program works in partnership with the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Psychiatry Department, Baguio Emergency Medical Service, Baguio City Police Office, the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development and the and the Mental Health Council. – with reports from Aileen P. Refuerzo
