About 25 percent of Taiwan's population suffer from depression, a psychiatrist said yesterday.
Only one-third of them, however, seek professional help, according to Chen Kuo-hua (陳國華), a psychiatrist at the Cathay General Hospital (國泰醫院).
And only one-third of those seeking help are men, said Kuo, citing statistics released in June by the Department of Health.
"Although more and more men are willing to see psychiatrists nowadays, most still hesitate to do so because they think it's a sign of weakness," Chen said.
Recent statistics released by the Taipei City Psychiatric Center (台北市立療養院) showed that in the first half of this year the center saw a 35 percent increase over the same period last year in the number of male patients seeking psychiatric help.
Chen made the remarks at a public forum held at the city council yesterday morning. He was one of a number of medical experts and private groups invited by KMT city councilwoman Chen Hsueh-fen (陳雪芬) to discuss the current plight of men in the run up to Father's Day, on Aug. 8. Chen attributed the increase in male patients seeking psychiatric help to the recent economic slowdown and changes in men's traditional roles.
"Many people have lost their jobs because of the current recession. Fortunately, we do see that more and more men are willing to show their emotions and talk about their feelings," he said.
Wu Mei-hui (吳美惠), chairman of the Taipei Association for the Promotion of Women's Rights (台北市女性權益促進會), said that men should try to express themselves more freely. "I know it's hard because they're not brought up that way, but times have changed and men have to catch up with them," she said.
Lu Chung-hsing (魯中興), director of the Taipei City Community Mental Hygiene Center (台北市社區心理衛生中心), echoed Wu's view.
Citing a survey conducted by the center in May, Lu said many of the city's children are reluctant to talk about personal problems with their fathers because they believe they are less caring than their mothers.
"While 25 percent of the 350 junior high school students questioned turned to their mothers for help, only 5 percent turned to their fathers," Lu said. The survey also found that 35 percent of students polled talk with their fathers for less than 10 minutes a day.
‘CROWN JEWEL’: Washington ‘can delay and deter’ Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan, but it is ‘a very delicate situation there,’ the secretary of state said US President Donald Trump is opposed to any change to Taiwan’s “status quo” by force or extortion and would maintain that policy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Hugh Hewitt Show host on Wednesday. The US’ policy is to maintain Taiwan’s “status quo” and to oppose any changes in the situation by force or extortion, Rubio said. Hewitt asked Rubio about the significance of Trump earlier this month speaking with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) at the White House, a meeting that Hewitt described as a “big deal.” Asked whether the meeting was an indication of the
‘RELATIVELY STRONG LANGUAGE’: An expert said the state department has not softened its language on China and was ‘probably a little more Taiwan supportive’ China’s latest drills near Taiwan on Monday were “brazen and irresponsible threats,” a US Department of State spokesperson said on Tuesday, while reiterating Washington’s decades-long support of Taipei. “China cannot credibly claim to be a ‘force for stability in a turbulent world’ while issuing brazen and irresponsible threats toward Taiwan,” the unnamed spokesperson said in an e-mailed response to media queries. Washington’s enduring commitment to Taiwan will continue as it has for 45 years and the US “will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China’s military, economic, informational and diplomatic pressure campaign,” the e-mail said. “Alongside our international partners, we firmly
KAOHSIUNG CEREMONY: The contract chipmaker is planning to build 5 fabs in the southern city to gradually expand its 2-nanometer chip capacity Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday confirmed that it plans to hold a ceremony on March 31 to unveil a capacity expansion plan for its most advanced 2-nanometer chips in Kaohsiung, demonstrating its commitment to further investment at home. The ceremony is to be hosted by TSMC cochief operating officer Y.P. Chyn (秦永沛). It did not disclose whether Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and high-ranking government officials would attend the ceremony. More details are to be released next week, it said. The chipmaker’s latest move came after its announcement earlier this month of an additional US$100 billion
Authorities yesterday elaborated on the rules governing Employment Gold Cards after a US cardholder was barred from entering Taiwan for six years after working without a permit during a 2023 visit. American YouTuber LeLe Farley was barred after already being approved for an Employment Gold Card, he said in a video published on his channel on Saturday. Farley, who has more than 420,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, was approved for his Gold Card last month, but was told at a check-in counter at the Los Angeles International Airport that he could not enter Taiwan. That was because he previously participated in two
RSS