Early help can prevent suicides

Star: When a person ends up on a ledge of a building, it could be too late.
Those suffering from stress must seek help early, said Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon.
He said Malaysia has an alarming rate of seven suicides a day, based on statistics last year.
For this reason, the ministry wants those with stress-related problems to seek professional help early.
“Stress sufferers should not wait until they end up on the ledge of a building, which is too late.
“Mental health problem is curable if we seek help early,” he told reporters after opening the state-level Mental Health Day celebrations at Dewan Milenium here yesterday.
“We have 85 psychiatrists at 27 hospitals nationwide to help those with mental illnesses,” he said.
He conceded, however, that the number of psychiatrists in the country was small, adding that those who need help could also get it from professional counsellors in non-governmental organisations, such as the Befrienders.
Lee said 2,004 patients committed suicide last year, adding: “This is an alarming figure.”
“We must overcome this disease as, for every suicide case, there are at least 20 family members and friends who would be affected by it,” he said, adding that suicides and attempted suicides were mainly due to changes in lifestyles, including the effects of migrating from the rural to urban areas.
“Many are unable to put up with city-life stress, while some find it hard to make ends meet.
“Some are too caught up with their daily work that they hardly find time to relax and unwind,” he said.