Struggling 10s and 20s with 'Corona Blues'... Reasons for the Increase in Youth Suicides [Heo Midam's Youth Report]

Depression Patients Increase by Over 30% in 5 Years... Suicide Rate Doubles Among Teens and 20s
Suicide Rate Rises Among Young People Aged 10-30 Last Year

Recently, the number of young people experiencing feelings of depression has been increasing, becoming a social issue. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

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[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "I feel depressed because I have no hope for the future."

As the COVID-19 pandemic prolongs, the number of young people complaining of depression due to economic problems including employment difficulties is increasing. Especially as social distancing measures continue, they are experiencing emotional and social isolation. Some young people, unable to endure depression, have resorted to self-harm and even attempted extreme measures, raising concerns. Given this situation, there are urgent calls for measures to support youth.

The number of depression patients has increased by more than 30% over the past five years. According to data analyzed by Jeong Chan-min, a member of the National Assembly’s Education Committee from the People Power Party, obtained from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, the number of patients who visited hospitals for depression last year was 837,808. This is a 30.3% increase compared to 643,102 in 2016.

Among them, the age groups with the largest increase in depression patients were teenagers and people in their 20s. The number of teenage depression patients last year was 48,645, nearly double the 26,165 in 2016, and for those in their 20s, it rose from 64,497 in 2016 to 146,977 last year, a 2.28-fold increase.

Job seeker Kim (25) also visited a hospital due to ongoing depression. Kim said, "Even though I want to get a job, I often get rejected at the document screening stage, so I start to wonder if there is something wrong with me. People around me ask, 'When will you get a job?' but since I keep failing, it’s driving me crazy," adding, "I think I fall into depression because I keep blaming myself for not getting a job."

The reason for the red flag on young people’s mental health is related to their harsh lives. For those in their 20s, employment difficulties have worsened after COVID-19, and many have faced financial and economic hardships. Teenagers have had fewer opportunities for emotional exchange with friends than before, as they were unable to attend school normally due to COVID-19.

Job seekers are browsing the job posting board. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The bigger problem is that depression can lead to extreme choices. Although the number of deaths by suicide slightly decreased last year, it increased among those aged 30 and under.

According to the '2020 Cause of Death Statistics' released by Statistics Korea, the number of suicide deaths was 13,195, down 604 (-4.4%) from the previous year. The average daily number of suicide deaths was 36.1.

Suicide rates decreased in those aged ▲70s (-16.0%) ▲60s (-10.7%) ▲50s (-8.4%) and above 40s, but increased in those aged ▲30s (0.7%) ▲20s (12.8%) ▲10s (9.4%).

Given this situation, there are calls for active government measures for youth. Opinions emphasize the need for psychological support as well as employment measures.

Office worker Lee (26) said, "Some people suffering from depression do not go to hospitals because of cost burdens," adding, "Especially with depression, it’s not something resolved by a single diagnosis; it requires continuous hospital visits. However, due to social stigma and cost burdens, some may hesitate to seek treatment." He added, "The government needs to provide support for economically struggling youth."

In response, the government is implementing various policies for youth. The government plans to support 140,000 people from next year through 2024 by establishing the 'Youth Employment Leap Incentive.' If small and medium-sized enterprises hire youth as regular employees, they can receive up to 800,000 KRW per month per person, up to 9.6 million KRW per year.

Also, for youth struggling with 'Corona Blue (depression),' the government plans to introduce the 'Mental Health Voucher' system, providing 200,000 KRW per month for three months for psychological counseling fees, benefiting about 15,000 people.

Experts suggest finding personal ways to relieve depression. Professor Kwak Geum-ju of Seoul National University’s Department of Psychology said, "Since COVID-19, young people have often felt lethargic compared to before. With fewer job opportunities and fewer social gatherings, they experience depression," emphasizing, "To relieve this, it is good to increase physical activity and find ways to express emotions positively."

※ If you have difficult-to-talk-about worries such as depression, or if you have family or acquaintances facing such difficulties, you can receive 24-hour expert counseling through suicide prevention hotline ☎ 1393, mental health counseling ☎ 1577-0199, Hope Call ☎ 129, Lifeline ☎ 1588-9191, Youth Hotline ☎ 1388, Youth Mobile Counseling 'Da Deureojul Gae' application, KakaoTalk, and more.