ALL AGES WELCOME
Affecting both the young and the old, loneliness and its secondary effects are an increasingly big issue in Taiwan society
By Chiu Chih-jou
and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The Mental Health Foundation on Tuesday called for more proactive policies to support mental health, as the top related news events of last year showed that loneliness has become a major issue in Taiwan.
Many mental-health-related news stories last year seem to show that loneliness is a cross-generational challenge, the group said, adding that psychiatric policies should attempt to identify high-risk groups through cross-agency collaboration.
These news stories included reports that suicide rates for adolescents have more than doubled in nine years, that 80 percent more minors have become violent with their parents over the past five years, and others that highlight a range of violence, natural disasters, suicide, scamming, family conflicts and general mental well-being policies, the group said.
Photo: CNA
Random attacks were the biggest issue the group saw last year, perhaps the result of people suffering from long-term frustration and isolation or witnessing the collapse of the values they ascribe to or hold dear, said Yang Tsung-tsai (楊聰財), the group’s index division convener.
It could indicate that society has insufficient mental support for those on society’s periphery, Yang said.
While the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s implementation of emotional support for youths and young adults is an excellent start, the policy relies on people reaching out, Yang said.
High-risk groups might not be able to access such safety net policies as easily, he said.
Yang said mental health assessments could be part of vocational counseling or part of local and central labor departments, as a way to reach out and support those who need it.
Yang pointed to the Taipei City Government, which includes psychological assessments as part of elderly physical checkups, demonstrating concern for the health and well-being of its elderly residents, a laudable decision.
Increased suicide rates and violence against their parents by adolescents suggest an increased prevalence of emotional disorders and mental illnesses in that age group, and experts caution that mental well-being is no longer a purely personal issue, but a joint burden on families and even the public.
Foundation chairman Hu Hai-kuo (胡海國) said the government’s efforts to reinforce the mental health system were a good start, but insufficient.
Isolation is a larger cross-generational issue affecting not only the elderly but also the young, Hu said, adding that proper mental health was not just about making one better, but about re-establishing the connection between people.
The foundation urged people to maintain social activities among small groups, and to express concern to family members, colleagues and classmates to ensure that everyone feels cared for, reducing the possibility of future tragedies.