They say support hotlines, while crucial, should not be the only means of stopping people from ending their lives.

Clinical psychologist Lum Khay Xian of Relate Mental Health Malaysia said it was important to educate the public on the reasons for suicidal tendencies and to train healthcare workers to detect and care for those at risk of committing suicide.

Malaysian Mental Health Association president Dr Andrew Mohanraj called for efforts to address the stigma associated with suicide and also improvements in healthcare services.

The federal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) recently revealed that 468 suicide cases were recorded in Malaysia between January and May this year, which is an average of three suicides a day.

Lum told FMT her organisation had lately seen a two-fold to three-fold increase in people needing psychological help.

She said many were facing increased stress levels due to the pandemic, which has caused prolonged financial constraints, changes in plans and various forms of uncertainty. With everyone forced to stay home, some could also be dealing with domestic violence or struggling with interpersonal conflicts.

“These challenges in turn contribute to a chronic sense of loneliness, helplessness and hopelessness. People may be left with little capacity to deal with the prolonged stress given that things continue to be unpredictable.”

Lum added that usual coping strategies that people rely on, such as meeting their friends and going out, were no longer feasible under the lockdown, thereby further adding to their distress and leading some to believe there was no end to their pain.

She said it was also crucial to engage stakeholders to educate people that suicide was a result of psychological distress and not of criminal intent.

She called for the provision of more financial resources as well as emotional support and outreach.

“Data collection on suicide deaths could give us more insight on the vulnerable group and help with plans for outreach and suicide prevention programmes.

“At this point, it could be helpful to also provide concrete strategies in curbing the Covid-19 pandemic and establishing economic stability, as concrete and effective strategies may help people regain a sense of control and hope over their future.”

Mohanraj said hotlines could offer a listening ear or direct a vulnerable person to seek professional help, but this depended on how open the person was to such support.

“Traditionally, Malaysians have shied away from help-seeking behaviour when it involves mental health support. However, during this Covid-19 pandemic, we see helplines in the country not being able to cope with the demand.”

He said his organisation had seen an increasing number of cases in which suicidal thoughts were a reaction to financial insecurity.

“There has to be a societal change in order to prevent suicides of such nature,” he said. “Ultimately, financial security would mean having fewer of those stressful events that could lead to one dismissing life as being useless.”

Ardy Ayadali, the publicity director of Befrienders KL that operates a helpline to support  people with emotional distress , said the organisation was especially concerned about vulnerable people not knowing how to reach out for help or choosing not to call support hotlines.

He said suicide was never driven by a single reason, but caused by a series of incidents that led one to believe he or she should end their life.

“There might be bad policies that are affecting the people but every one of us have to play our role and be more vigilant.

“We need to learn to recognise risk factors and the warning signs of suicide so we can help those around us,” he said.

According to Lum, someone with suicidal tendencies would exhibit signs such as talking about suicide, feeling hopeless, withdrawing from others and giving away his or her belongings.

She said people around a suspected suicidal person could help by initiating a conversation, listening without judging, and offering support.

If you believe there is a risk of suicide, according to Lum, you should call an emergency hotline or hospital and offer to accompany the person to seek help.

Befrienders Kuala Lumpur can be reached at 03-76272929 any time of the day. Contact details of other Befriender centres can be found here.