A recent study from the United States found a difference between suicide in China and developed Western countries. While 90 percent of suicides in high-income Western countries are related to mental illness, this figure is only 70 percent in China. The study was conducted by Professor Michael Phillips, M.D., of Emory University and director of the Center for Suicide Research and Prevention at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. A random sample of 239 suicide attempts seen in the emergency rooms of four general hospitals in Shenyang was selected for the study. To clarify the reasons behind these suicidal behaviors, Phillips et al. used the Suicidal Ideation Scale, the Suicide Concept Inventory, the Hamilton Depression Inventory, and the Quality of Life Test from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition) (DSM-IV) structured clinical interview transcripts to assess the sociodemographic and other characteristics of these attempted suicides. Data analysis revealed that 70% of the study sample met current diagnostic indicators for mental disorders, of which 63% had affective disorders, 15% had anxiety disorders, 11% had psychotic disorders, and 4% had substance abuse conditions. The remaining 30% did not meet the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for mental disorders, were mostly young adults, had higher levels of impulsivity, and had more thoughts of receiving help. Based on this result, the researchers concluded that the impact of mental illness in China appears to be smaller than its impact in developed countries; however, impulsivity appears to play a larger role in the Chinese group. While the reasons for these differences between China and the developed West are unclear, one thing is certain: if a person who attempts suicide drinks pesticides to kill himself, the consequences can be fatal. Phillips mentioned, “The high rate of suicide by drinking pesticides in rural China is akin to Americans killing themselves with guns. In China, 58% of suicides are committed by drinking pesticides.” Professor Philips also explained the significance of the study, “A significant percentage of suicide attempts seen in Chinese emergency rooms still have mental illnesses. These disorders can actually be cured, but almost none of these people have received a psychiatric diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Few general hospitals in China offer psychological counseling services, and even those that do do do not provide such services in the emergency room. So most of these suicides were either admitted to the ward for drinking pesticides or needing supervision, or they went straight home without receiving any psychological evaluation.” Philips sees a connection between this study and the American Psychiatric Study as well. He said, “As I mentioned before, mental illness is not necessarily a prerequisite for suicide. Like the suicide bombers of extremist religious people, the terminally ill who want to end their lives, and the impulsive individuals who are in trouble, do they all choose to commit suicide because they have a mental illness? We need to reconsider the validity of theories that suggest that mental illness is a prerequisite for suicide.” The relationship between suicide and mental illness is not a simple cause-and-effect one, but the two are still strongly related. To a certain extent, if some people with mental illness were properly and promptly diagnosed and treated, fewer people would certainly end up on the path to suicide. The solution to this problem does not come overnight, but requires not only the opening and attention of hospitals for psychological counseling services, but also the correct understanding of mental illness in society as a whole, and the awareness of individuals to actively seek help when they encounter difficulties.