Beijing to launch anti-suicide app   

北京擬推首個“預防自殺”APP 3年內有望完成開發

目前北京已啟動研制首個“抑郁與預防自殺”自助服務項目。屆時，公眾有望通過手機、可穿戴設備等運行自助服務程序，通過APP自測抑郁指數，甚至監測各項和抑郁相關的腦電、心電等生理指標。[查看全文]

(ECNS) – Beijing will launch a mobile app in three years to battle depression.

With suicide being one of the leading causes of death in China, Beijing has kicked off development of an app to curb the suicide rate on the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept 10, the Beijing News reported.

Yang Fude, director of Beijing's Huilongguan Hospital, said the app can take a mental assessment of users. It can monitor indices of anxiety, allow users to consult a doctor or chat with a robot to relieve pressure.

According to WHO statistics, about 120,000 people die from suicide in China each year.

However, only 21 percent of those with depression get diagnosed in China, well below the world's average of 55.65 percent. Only 10 percent of the patients get treated.

The recent deaths of American entertainer Robin Williams and Chinese translator Sun Zhongxu have brought depression and suicide back in the spotlight.

Many people lack a proper assessment of their mental health. Often, sufferers of depression don't have a correct understanding of the disease and refuse to talk openly about mental illness. As a result, they fail to seek professional help.

Launching the app could help raise awareness and facilitate mental health treatment, Yang said.