Health Check Ep 44: Understanding suicides and how to help to prevent them

13:58 mins

Synopsis: Fortnightly on Wednesdays, get healthier living tips as The Straits Times chats with expert guests.

This episode is aimed at understanding suicidal behaviour and suicide prevention.

ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Dr Jared Ng, a consultant with the Emergency Services at the Institute of Mental Health.

They discuss the following points:

1. How to spot warning or behavioural signs in advance, if the majority of cases tend to be impulsive (3:35)
2. How friends can help alert family members too by keeping track of social media posts and personality changes in chat message groups (5:00)
3. Know the differences between the risk factors that lead to youth and elderly suicide cases (7:50)
4. When someone tells you he or she wants to die or kill himself or herself, do not dismiss it by telling them to be positive and that things are "okay" (8:27) 
5. What are the right things to say to someone who is suicidal and what we can do to help the person? (9:07)

Listen to Pt 1 of interview with Dr Jared Ng on understanding stress in age of coronavirus

HELPLINES
Samaritans Of Singapore: 1800-221-4444

Singapore Association For Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Institute Of Mental Health's Mobile Crisis Service: 6389-2222

Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800

Silver Ribbon: 6386-1928

Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788

Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Penelope Lee 

Edited by: Adam Azlee

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