BY: FERLIZA C. CONTRATISTA
CEBU CITY, July 30 (PIA)---The local police and mental health authorities are set on forming an alliance to have a concrete study on suicide incidents in Cebu province.
In today’s Kapihan sa PIA, several mental health issues such as bullying, suicide, and depression were discussed.
It can be recalled that a doctor in Cebu City was recently shot to death by his own patient who, after shooting the doctor, killed himself as well.
Dr. Glenda Basubas, president of the Philippine Mental Health Association- Cebu Chapter, said that those suffering from medical illness are prone to depression which will eventually lead them to suicide.
Among those who are at risk of depression are patients who suffered from stroke and other cardiovascular diseases and those with chronic pain.
“Medically-ill persons are more susceptible to depression and some may lead to suicide and extended suicide,” Basubas said.
Basubas said it is necessary that family members are supporting the patient because they are sensitive.
“When they hear of costs or burden, they may feel useless and then starts the depression,” Basubas said.
Other than that, PMHA also confirmed that as reported, more and more suicides are committed by those in the younger age.
This prompted them to create more awareness programs in schools against bullying which is the common cause of depression among kids.
Genesis Dejan, executive manager of PMHA-Cebu, said they are coordinating with the guidance counselors of private schools.
The private schools, he said, all have trained counselors who are only assigned as guidance counselors.
Unfortunately, in public schools, the guidance counselors are sometimes just designated teachers who are performing other loads.
Police Inspector Margienett Yosores, Cebu Provincial Police Office Women and Children’s Protection Officer, said they have an ongoing advocacy campaign against bullying among public schools.
They already started in Talisay City where over 500 students were reached out in an Anti-Bullying talk.
Also here in Cebu City, Police Inspector Arieza Otida, Yosores’ counterpart in the Cebu City, said they had already made anti-bullying campaigns in Mabolo Elementary School and Abellana National High School.
The WCPD will make the advocacy a weekly affair.
This also prompted Yosores, as head of the provincial WCPD to suggest to the Provincial Director, the proper recording of death through suicide in order to get statistics needed for the study of PMHA.
The study is expected to run between three to six months. (rmn/fcc/PIA-Cebu)