6% of Malaysians have suicidal thoughts due to stress

Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai was reported to have said that about 6% of Malaysians the majority of whom are aged between 16 and 24 years have suicidal tendencies at some point in their lives according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2006.

The Health Minister’s statement has given rise to concern as to whether we are doing enough to help the vulnerable groups to handle and manage stress, particularly the young school children.

We have come to know of students who committed suicide because of disappointment in their UPSR examinations.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) wishes to propose to the Government to look into mental health promotion for school students as a remedy to overcoming severe mental stress among many school-going children arising from our examination-oriented education system.

Mental health promotion can be carried out in schools to prepare the students to face stress in schools, especially when sitting for examinations and how to deal with them appropriately.

Among the mental health promotion activities that can be implemented in schools include promoting mental health literacy in the school community through talks, exhibitions and quizzes that can be held as extra-curricular activities involving PTAs and school clubs.

Schools need to have more trained counselors with skills and techniques to guide and help students about how to handle stress.

The issue of mental health among students must be addressed with a sense of urgency. If they do not get our help, our nation is going to be burdened with a generation suffering from serious mental health problems in an ever-increasing competitive global environment.

We cannot deny that our examination-oriented education system has led to pressure from parents to perform in schools.

Even if parents say they don’t pressure their kids, children can pick up on their parents’ high expectations, and in turn, set high expectations for themselves. When they fail they take it badly.

We need to instill basic self-confidence in the child so that any failures or disappointments will be seen as opportunities to try again rather than as a lack of ability and taking the road to disaster.

Let not Malaysia end up in a state which occurred in our neighbouring country not so long ago when in a survey carried out among school children between the ages of 10-12, responded that they were more afraid of failing tests and examinations than of their parents or guardians dying.