Suicide 'the leading cause of death' for young Chinese

SUICIDE is the leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults in China - a country where almost 250,000 people commit suicide and more than 2 million people attempt to kill themselves each year, the Beijing Morning Post reported today.

The survey, released by the state center for disease control and the Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, showed that suicide was the fifth leading cause of death in China - but the first among the teenage and young adult group aged between 15 and 34.

Depressive disorders was pinpointed as the main reason why people killed themselves, increasing the risk of suicide by 20 times. Other reasons such as anxiety disorders and alcohol abuse can increase suicide risk by about 10 times and six times respectively, the survey showed.

People who have serious medical illnesses such as cancer, epilepsy, and damage to their bodily functions are more likely to become depressed, thereby placing them in a high suicide risk group.

Experts said the main reason for teenagers and young adults to commit suicide was because they suffered a great deal of pressure in their lives, leading to mental problems.

Teenagers' pressure stemmed from study burdens, troubled relationships and job-hunting woes, while young adults faced problems like work pressure, financial burdens and securing proper child education, the study found.

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