BAGUIO CITY – City Health officials disclosed that the number of suicide cases in the city has been rising and is considered to be alarming.
Dr. Donnabel Tubera, medical officer of the City Health Services Office, said that from the average of 2 suicide cases monthly last year, the number doubled to 4 suicide cases monthly during the first quarter of this year prompting health authorities to be alarmed over the worsening depression among the residents of the city.
She added that most of the mode of suicide by the victims is allegedly hanging based on the results of the post-mortem done on the bodies of the suspected suicide victims.
“We were alarmed by the sudden increase in suicide cases in the city that is why we appeal to the residents to make sure that they are able to closely monitor the activities of their family members so that they will be able to subject them to the necessary check-up during the early stages of their depression to avoid their situation to worsen,” Dr. Tubera stressed.
The medical officer claimed that one of the early signs of depression is alleged sleepless nights that is why when such problem is being encountered by a member of their family, then it is but proper to have him or her undergo the needed medical checkup in the district health center or at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC).
On the other hand, she also advised owners and personnel of drug stores not to simply sell sleeping pills without the required prescription from physicians considering that individuals who purchase sleeping pills are reportedly on their early stages of depression which must be prevented through the needed medical interventions by experts
According to her, the sudden rise in the number of suicide cases in the city during the first quarter is considered to be abnormal because it doubled the 2 monthly suicide victims being recorded by the city heal facility which also indicates that residents have to monitor the activities of their family members to avoid whatever problems that will simply arise in the future.
Tubera recommended that family members who are suffering from the early signs of depression should voluntarily subject themselves to the required medical checkup so that they could be provided with the expert medical advise and appropriate medication instead of opting to take in sleeping pills which could be compromise one’s health condition in the future.
According to her, one of the ways to ascertain whether a person is suffering from depression is when there is a sudden change in his or her behaviour that is why family members must be observant on the routine of their relatives for them to be able to check whether or not they are really in good mental condition.
Tubera expressed optimism that the number of recorded suicide incidents among young and middle aged individuals from the different parts of the city will no longer increase in the coming months because another increase in the average of suicide cases will really indicate that something is wrong with the mental health of some people which should be immediately corrected once signs of the said mental health disorder will be detected the earliest possible time.
She encouraged individual family members to be vigilant on the daily activities of their members for them to properly monitor whether or not they have early signs of depression.
By HENT
