Sunny Side Up: Feeling depressed? Reach out, make a human connection

Photo: 123rf.com

If you were to pick any time in history to live, there’s no better time to choose than now. No other age has provided such convenience, abundance, health and longevity. And yet, despite having more opportunities and enjoying greater material wealth and comfort, young people today are more susceptible than previous generations to experiencing anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation.

Here in Malaysia, suicide rates have been on the rise among young people. According to the 2017 National Health and Morbidity Study, the number of people aged 13 to 17 having suicidal thoughts in 2017 was 10% compared with 7.9% in 2012.