Suicide spike in Japan linked to coronavirus pandemic; Prevention measures must be implemented immediately, experts warn
by: Zoey Sky
NaturalNews.com
Monday, October 26, 2020
Experts in Japan are blaming the ongoing Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) for an increase in the number of suicides in the country in August.
The August surge was driven by an increasing number of women and school-aged children taking their lives. The alarming figures suggest that the fallout from the pandemic is harming the mental health of certain groups of people more than others.
COVID-19 adversely affecting Japanese students’ mental health
While suicides are still the top cause of premature deaths in Japan, the country’s suicide rate has actually been on the decline for the past decade. That all changed with COVID-19.
Government statistics reveal that the number of suicides in August increased by 15.4 percent to 1,854. The number of women taking their own lives increased to 40 percent while the number of suicides of students in elementary to high school jumped to 59 cases, doubling from the same period in 2019. The latter group, in particular, look to be more vulnerable to feelings of stress due to the pandemic with the number of suicides for those under 20 being the only segment experiencing an uptick.
According to a survey conducted by the National Center for Child Health and Development, over 70 percent of schoolchildren in Japan feel stress because of the spread of the coronavirus.
The survey found that 72 percent of elementary, junior high and senior high school students said thinking about the virus made them feel bad or affected their concentration. Nine percent of respondents reported instances of self-harm or using violence against family members or pets.
Results also revealed that 32 percent wouldn’t want others to find out if they or any family members were infected with COVID-19. While 47 percent of participants believe most people would want to keep their condition a secret, 22 percent reported they wouldn’t want to mingle with anyone who has had the disease, even after they have recovered.
The Rest…HERE
