Many Thai people are suffering from stress, depression, burnout or are at risk of committing suicide as a result of the two-year long COVID-19 pandemic.
Director-general of the Department of Mental Health Amporn Benjaponpitak said today (Tuesday) that the department conducted an online survey and assessment of the mental health of more than 2.5 million people, via the www.วัดใจ.com or Mental Health Check-in systems.
The survey and assessment shows:
- 216,098 of the respondents, or 8.38%, are suffering from stress.
- 254,243, or 9.86%, are prone to depression.
- 140,939, or 5.46%, are at risk of committing suicide.
- 25,552, or 4.16%, are suffering from burnout.
She said all these people need mental health care, adding that about half of post-COVID infection cases still have physical or mental health problems three months after their recovery and need mental health care, as they tend to be vulnerable to suicidal thoughts.
Dr. Amporn disclosed that a recent meeting of the National Mental Health Committee decided to take more pro-active measures to promote the mental welfare of people in families and communities, in a bid to reduce the risk of suicide.
