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Abstract
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read the article by Gosavi T et al. with great interest (Gosavi et al., 2020). They have reported a study on the psychological effects of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) on relatively young, healthy men in isolation, and stated that such effects of increased isolation may be substantial even in such individuals, making preventive treatment after lockdowns essential for the long-term well-being of those affected. Their points are precise, and particularly the one on the need for 'long-term' mental healthcare is thought-provoking.
When examining long-term mental health, they have shown the fluctuations in the number of suicides in Japan--long-term trends in this number in post-war Japan (Fig. 1) show an increase in suicides around 1955 after World War II (the first peak in 1958), followed by a second peak in 1986, and a third peak in 1998 (White paper on suicide prevention in Japan, 2012-2015). By age group, the number of suicides among those in their late teens to early 30s, particularly among those in their early 20s, had increased during the first peak; there is a theory that this was due to the impact of the changes in post-war society values and wartime experiences. During the second peak, there were many suicides among those in their early 50s, and the economic depression has been cited as a reason for this. During the third peak, the number of suicides among those in their late 40s to early 60s, especially among those in their 50s, had increased rapidly; the prevailing theory is that this was due to the economic bubble collapse (Fushimi, Sugawara, & Shimizu, 2006; White paper on suicide prevention in Japan, 2012-2015). By gender, the increase was more pronounced among males, with females not showing as large a fluctuation (Fushimi et al., 2006; White paper on suicide prevention in Japan, 2012-2015)...
Language: en |