Social media offers one more chance to prevent a suicide
Paul Yip says with so many users, the platform can be a force for good
Facebook recently announced that its users in the US will soon be able to send help to friends if they see posts expressing suicidal thoughts. Facebook will notify the flagged user the next time the person signs on, with messages suggesting that the person connect with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a friend, or get "tips and advice on how they can work through these feelings".
Social media has been identified as one of the promising ways to reach out to vulnerable people who might not use traditional services.
Our centre's research findings, based on coroner-court investigations, suggest that only about 25 per cent of people who commit suicide had ever sought professional support.
Some of the common reasons for not seeking help, according to one of our surveys, are availability, affordability and effectiveness of professional services.
People have to wait a long time - usually three to six months, sometimes longer for non-urgent cases - to receive mental health care in the public system.
If you go private, one session with a registered psychiatrist can cost HK$1,500-HK$3,000 (not including drugs). And, perhaps surprisingly, they are almost always fully booked. The high cost of private services is a barrier for many. Furthermore, treatment effectiveness is a concern.