Current Events > Japan Suicide Rate Declines Amid Coronavirus Lockdown Due To Shift in Stress...

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...Factors

https://www.techtimes.com/articles/249648/20200515/covid-19-japan-suicide-rate-declines-amid-coronavirus-lockdown-due-to-shift-in-stress-factors.htm

Japan's suicide rate dropped by a quarter this year compared to last year as workers spend less time with work-related stress amid coronavirus pandemic.

The number of suicides this April was down by nearly 20 percent compared to the same month in 2019, according to Japanese officials.
More family time, lesser interactions with toxic people
In April 2019, around 1,814 people took their lives compared with a 19.8% decrease to 1,455 in April 2020. This marks the country's lowest suicide figure for at least the past five years. Officials believe that not going into the office, less commuting and more time with the family are factors in which the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the well-being of people.
Lockdown steps mean that work from home and have fewer interactions with authority figures - including threatening bosses, colleagues, or classmates, DailyMail reported. It has a positive impact on the mental health of people, the ministry has found, given the pressures of living through a global pandemic.
Despite the decrease in suicide in recent years, a rise has occurred among adolescents. Bullying and other problems at school are commonly cited causes. The start of the academic year, which starts in April in Japan, is an especially challenging period for some. But its postponement due to the pandemic may have saved lives, at least temporarily.
"School is a pressure for some young people, but this April there is no such pressure," said Yukio Saito, a former telephone counseling official for the Japanese Federation of Inochi-no-Denwa. "At home with their families, they feel safe," she told The Guardian.
As for adults, "traditionally people don't think about suicide" during times of national turmoil and disasters, Saito said. She noted the decline in cases of suicide in 2011, the year of the massive Fukushima earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown. One contributing factor in the reduced suicide rate is the significant decrease in the number of people commuting to workplaces, where they frequently work long hours and interact with toxic co-workers.
Suicide remains a social problem
Throughout Japan, suicide is seen as a significant social problem. Japan's suicide hotlines are still struggling to handle the influx of calls they get from people amid coronavirus pandemic.
Saito, who also served as chair of the Japanese Association for Suicide Prevention, said a prolonged economic downturn triggered by the pandemic could lead to a rebound in the cases. A massive rise in suicide cases of nearly 40 percent was recorded the year after the Asian financial crisis of 1997.
Japan Today reported many callers revealed concerns about their job security due to company closures or a dramatic decline in customer numbers. Other callers said they had suicidal thoughts after their family members were infected with the virus.
Saitama Inochi no Denwa, one of Japan's busiest hotlines, retained its 24-hour support operation. Several people each day openly confide their suicidal thoughts, the organization told Japan Today. Most callers are in their 40s and 50s, and during the economic crisis, discuss concerns about job security. Of the roughly 70 calls it has been receiving per day recently, approximately 70 to 80 percent are related to the coronavirus, the report added.

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UnfairRepresent posted...

Japan's suicide hotlines are struggling to manage the flood of calls they are receiving from people with coronavirus-linked health or financial concerns while also trying to ensure their all-important counselors remain virus-free.

The Federation of Inochi no Denwa, comprised of some 50 suicide prevention organizations employing some 6,000 counselors across Japan, said the number of incoming calls its members have received has soared since the government declared a state of emergency last month urging people to avoid physical contact as much as possible.

Many callers divulged fears about their job security due to business closures or a sharp fall in customer numbers, while others said they had suicidal thoughts after family members became infected with the virus.

Worried about their sometimes elderly counselors who often work in confined call center spaces, some of the federation's member organizations have suspended services. Most others, however, have continued to serve callers during the difficult period, albeit on a reduced scale.

Saitama Inochi no Denwa, one of the busiest hotlines in the country, has maintained its 24-hour support service. Of the roughly 70 calls it has been receiving per day recently, approximately 70 to 80 percent are related to the coronavirus, the group says. The figure marks a sharp rise from about 20 percent in early April.

Most of the callers are in their 40s and 50s and mention worries about job security during the economic downturn. Several people each day openly confide their suicidal thoughts, the organization said.

Despite some calls lasting as long as two hours, the number of consultants working on shift together at Saitama Inochi no Denwa has been limited to two or three due to staff shortages during the emergency.

"We are able to maintain this system because there are counselors who come in despite opposition from their families," said Takeshi Naito, secretary general of the Saitama body.

As it is more natural for younger generations to turn to social networking and messaging services for advice, Lifelink has been offering help using the popular Line messaging app.

Lifelink said it too has been receiving an increased number of calls from people with coronavirus concerns, including some saying they are worried about their academic advancement with schools closed. Other calls come from stressed parents who are struggling with having to stay home full-time with their children.

The Tokyo suicide prevention center, a member of Befrienders Worldwide, resumed Tuesday phone consultations that had been suspended since early April. It will offer the service every Tuesday in May and will increase the number of operating days from June, the group said.

"We want to share the suffering of people who cannot tell others about their worries," said Machiko Nakayama, head of the organization.

Since the Tokyo-based organization needs sanitizers and other supplies to allow counselors to carry out their job, Nakayama said, "We want people to support our activities through donations."

Full Article: https://japantoday.com/category/national/coronavirus-concern-overwhelming-japan's-suicide-hotlines

https://i.imgur.com/zwe3JKe.jpg

Reminder: Japan has the oldest population in the world per capita.

The rate of suicide may have declined but the rate of depression/suicidial thoughts are skyrocketing. People want to kill themselves.
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There was no lockdown in Japan and most of us are still working. Everything was voluntary with some stores, businesses, and most schools choosing to close. Most stuff that closed is opening up again now, but there was never a point where I or many other people weren't still going to work and there have never been anything other than requests for people to stay home. There is no enforcement of any measures due to constitutional limitations.

Other than that interesting article.

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IN japan dont they do goofy ass shit like stay back at work (sometimes just napping) for the sake of being on the work site for longer hours even though there is realistically nothing much to do. All just for show or something for the company that you are dedicated?

toyota posted...

IN japan dont they do goofy ass shit like stay back at work (sometimes just napping) for the sake of being on the work site for longer hours even though there is realistically nothing much to do. All just for show or something for the company that you are dedicated?

Sitting here at work shit posting at 7:16 PM. You tell me.

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UnfairRepresent posted...

thanks for the article

ssjevot posted...

There was no lockdown in Japan and most of us are still working. Everything was voluntary with some stores, businesses, and most schools choosing to close. Most stuff that closed is opening up again now, but there was never a point where I or many other people weren't still going to work and there have never been anything other than requests for people to stay home. There is no enforcement of any measures due to constitutional limitations.

Other than that interesting article.

and thanks for the first hand account

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ssjevot posted...

Sitting here at work shit posting at 7:16 PM. You tell me.

lol its so weird. can you explain it to me. Why do they feel the need to stay back at work well past 5 if they really arent doing anything?

Do employees at least fake type on their computers pretending to work?

toyota posted...

lol its so weird. can you explain it to me. Why do they feel the need to stay back at work well past 5 if they really arent doing anything?

Do employees at least fake type on their computers pretending to work?

Man, we have a bed in my office. No one is fooling anyone. I have seen people literally watching anime and shit on their computers. One person's entire day consists of watching Let's Play as far as I know. But lately because of the policies with the virus we only want 2 people in an office at most, so it's basically just me and sometimes my boss. The main incentive for me to have everyone back in the office is so drinking parties can start back up again. Whatever shitty aspects there are to Japanese office life drinking parties makes up for it completely.

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What happens if you dont stay back and just go home after you are done with your work?

toyota posted...

What happens if you dont stay back and just go home after you are done with your work?

Passive aggression and possible future career consequences.

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ssjevot posted...

Passive aggression and possible future career consequences.

Thats so absurd when everyone literally knows they are staying back for no real reason lmao

I mean dont get me wrong, Ive stayed behind work for longer before or have taken work home and worked through the night....but thats literally beacuse i had to do shit and get stuff done. (Thankfully I dont work in that industry anymore because that lifestyle honestly made me start to think similarly to those japanese suicide cases lol)