Could this be a case of 0$P$ or a suicide? Gaming and Gambling addiction as well as depression and suicide are phenomena on to take note of - how should the Government of Singapore deal with such issues?
It is sad to see people taking life so easily. Everyone is given the chance to live but some just chose to give up. There are people who are diagnosed with terminal diseases but they chose to fight for their own life and cherish every moment that they have while some others are born healthy and yet they take their own lives. This article addresses the incident where a man was found dead after being hit by a train. The victim is a Chinese man in his late 40s, the police have classified the case as unnatural death and are investigating. Which brings us to our next point, what exactly has caused the death of this man? Could it be a suicide or a case of owing money and being unable to pay the debts so he took his life. I believe that it could be a suicide due to depression or the man’s gambling addiction gone out of control.
Gaming and gambling addictions are two of the rising issues that almost all countries including Singapore faces. In Singapore, we are exposed to all sorts of gambling day in day out. For example, the 4D (four digit number game) draws on every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. On Mondays and Thursdays, there is TOTO. The Singapore Pools also offer football betting whenever football matches are played which are usually the weekends or some times Wednesdays and Thursdays. From the above, we can see that everyday, there is at least one type of gambling conducted in our country. To me, it is just typical Singaporeans, give them four numbers and they go crazy. It might be human nature to feel excited when taking risks and the feeling gained from gambling could be no different. “Will my numbers come up?” “Will my team win?” The sense of anticipation creates an adrenaline rush, a feeling that some people believe they cannot live without.
How should the government of Singapore deal with gambling issues? The government has brought up the issue of gambling addictions again and again. They try to create as much awareness as possible through commercials seen on the national television, on the radio and through new media. There is the National Council on Problem Gambling and there are helpline and help services provided. It is important to educate our people and I believe it is up to the person himself to know his own limits. The government should also enforce stricter laws on illegal gambling and have more patrols so as to prevent illegal gamblings from happening. At this rate, the chances of people getting a gambling addiction would be reduced. There are too many cases of gambling gone wrong where people got into debts and are unable to pay the loan sharks. Driven to desperation, they committed suicide.
Gaming addiction is more prominent within our nation, where users play compulsively, isolating themselves from social contact and only focusing on game achievements rather than life events. People get addicted to gaming because they like the challenge of completing these games. It gives them a sense of being on top and being the best at what they are doing. It gives people confidence and satisfaction. To them, it is like an escape from reality.
The government set up the Inter-Ministry Cyber Wellness Steering Committee (ICSC) to educate the public on cyber wellness. In addition to that, schools also conduct workshops on cyber wellness for their students. There is also a cyber wellness centre set up by the non-profit organization Touch Community Services’. I feel that the government should play a stronger role in dealing with gaming addiction issues. Gaming addictions can be serious among the young adults these days, students are encouraged to look for their school counselors who are trained on managing addictive behaviour.
All in all, I believe that most gaming or gambling addiction is due to culture in our country. It is popularized through the word of mouth for the case of gaming addiction. If one's friends are all interested in one game, he will definitely join the bandwagon. It is important to know your own limits and know when to stop. Occasional gaming and gambling is okay as long as we don't get overboard.
Depression and suicide are also phenomena to be taken note of. According to the Ministry of Health up to 9% of our adult population suffer from depression and close to 6% of the senior citizens are also affected. In this fast paced society, people can get a lot of stress through work, family or even social. The depressed patient might not be aware of his own illness and sometimes depression even lead to suicide. I feel that everyone should take care of the people around them, if you see your friend feeling sad and having the loss of interest towards social activities, or even thoughts of death and suicide, you can try to talk to him or even encourage him to seek professional help so that a tragedy would not happen. Our country has a series of helplines provided if anyone needs someone to talk to.
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