the figures are alarming - stress and suicide.
the root causes of suicide are manifold, but stress certainly ranks among the most prevalent factors leading to suicide.
indeed, the 2006 National Morbidity Survey showed that 20% of children and 11% of adults had stress-related mental problems and more strikingly, the group aged between 70 and 74 was the group with most stress-related problems (19.5%), followed by those aged between 16 and 19 (14.4%).
there is a wide gap between both groups - with both taking up opposing positions on the age spectrum. nevertheless, a common factor unifying both groups is their relative vulnerability when compared to the young adult and adult age groups.
generally, both age groups have a less-than-viable economic position wherein they have little or no earning power. also, both age groups tend to be emotionally dependent on the young adult and adult age groups.
what are the implications of the above analysis?
it follows that the aged have reached a point where they must retire and depend on both their savings i.e. their retirement funds and their pension. in a perfect system, their pension would be sustainable and give them well-deserved peace of mind while they peacefully enjoy their twilight years. however, in the light of the recent petrol price increase and the spiralling price of food and other essentials, this is no longer the case - leading to stress, anxiety, suicidal thoughts which culminate in suicide.
the young, on the other hand, are in the awkward position where they are still dependent financially on their parents but are feeling the first few signs of desire for greater independence.
the emotional dependence of the aged is vital in understanding their vulnerability. in our formerly close-knit Asian culture where family is paramount, it is not just the lack of love and closeness among family members which can cripple the aged and leave them despairing and despondent. it is also seen as a failure.
for the young, it is the paper chase which wears them down - the singular pursuit of good grades and a lucrative career which brings with it stress, struggles and the link between approval and emotional support.
what is needed, crucially, is support system for these two groups whose struggles are seldom highlighted. the paper is full of stories of JPA would-bes, but how much attention is given to those who fall in between the cracks?
it would pay for the government to provide more counseling services, with emphasis on understanding the issues faced by these age groups. the pension scheme is important, but more so inculcating the values of familial love and support and gratitude to our parents as they age. more retirement homes should not be the answer - in fact, do we need to wait until care for our parents is legislated as it is in Singapore?
at the end of it all, we can do something about this - it involves being more open to our family, friends and society at large, to take note of problems when they surface and to be willing to lend both a listening ear and helping hands.
'nothing happens out of nowhere, it always had a starting point somewhere.'
1 comment:
Hi Pet,
This is just my point of view, not only to the stress on the category of people you mentioned, but also to the the general society. I feel that stress also induced by greediness, not only by the victim himself, but it is the greediness of the whole society. When we have the fundamental need, we tend to ask for extra luxury for the fulfillment of our sensational need. In fact, if we can turn our effort into the contribution to those who are needy,after we have contented with our self-belonging, then our society will become much harmony and everyone have chances to live in a moderate life. It could be hard to describe in detail how my points could be related to stress, but there is an indirect consequences to it.
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