TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) on Tuesday (Oct. 29) reported that debt and relationship issues have been the primary causes of suicides among military personnel. The ministry has linked civilian counseling resources to support service members.
Media reports indicate a rising trend, with 23 suicides in 2023, 17 in 2022, and 12 in the first half of 2024. Chang Ching-tai (張景泰), an official from the Political Warfare Bureau (政治作戰局), acknowledged a slight increase in suicides over the past two years. He attributed this rise to factors such as economic and relationship problems, environmental adaptation, work pressure, family issues, and pre-existing mental health conditions.
Chang stated that the ministry has been promoting the connection with civilian counseling resources since 2018 to encourage service members to seek help from external psychological counseling agencies. Moreover, he added that since July 1, the ministry has also included mental health consultations for volunteer soldiers in the annual physical examinations. This initiative aims to address the mental health needs of military personnel proactively.