Efforts must be taken to prevent young people committing suicide like student protester Dai Lin (林冠華), as youths have been known to emulate suicidal events of their peers, Tri-Service General Hospital department of psychology director Yeh Chi-pin (葉啟斌) said.
Lin, a member of the Northern Taiwan Anti-Curriculum Changes Alliance, was found dead near burning charcoal early on Thursday morning, the day of his 20th birthday.
According to Yeh, Lin burned coal in an enclosed space, a method with one of the highest success rates.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
“A majority of participants in the anti-curriculum changes events are youths and there exists the possibility of an emulation effect,” Taiwanese Society of Suicidology director Yang Tsung-tsai (楊聰財) said.
“Emulation might see incidents ranging from self-mutilation to suicide in attempts to reinforce the message,” Yang said.
“People might have negative emotions because of the student protests. We suggest these students talk to friends, family or teachers if they are feeling helpless or frustrated,” Yang said.
“Students should find ways to balance their emotions by talking with friends, going out to sing, or using other calming methods, such as diaphragmatic breathing or keeping a diary or journal about things that make them happy,” Yang said.
“We also encourage parents and teachers to be proactive and keep a close eye on children or students if they see a drop in sleeping quality, a loss of appetite or less time spent on sports,” Yang said.
“Being alert and actively asking after people if they show such changes could help prevent tragedies,” Yang said, adding that if need be, parents and teachers should refer these people for professional help.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
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