Hongkonger Mandy was left devastated nine years ago when her eldest son died by suicide, finding herself trapped in a state of silent grief.
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“I kept asking myself why he chose this path. The son I knew was optimistic, adaptable, and appeared to be living a fruitful life whenever I visited him,” the 63-year-old said.
Her son was 22 and in his fourth year of undergraduate studies at a university in Australia when he killed himself. The family only learned after his death that he had been seeing a therapist for months.
Mandy said she could not help but blame herself for sending him abroad for his studies and not noticing his emotional distress sooner.
It is estimated that at least 6,000 people each year in Hong Kong are left coping with the guilt, confusion and social stigma that arises from losing a loved one to suicide.
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The figure is based on a commonly cited international study that suggests at least six relatives or friends are severely affected by each suicide case.