A mental patient at the Negros Oriental Mental Rehabilitation Center was found dead hanging from the iron bars with his belt in his cell Thursday in Talay, Dumaguete City.

The  patient  identified  as Dindo Colina, 35, married  and  a resident  of  Barangay  Tugas  in  Tanjay  City, Negros Oriental, is believed to have committed suicide.

Dr. Angelo Jesus Arias, chief of  the NOPH-Psychiatric Ward  said the victim came  to  him alone  at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday, purportedly to  submit  himself  to treatment.

The  victim  confided  to him  that  he  can hear  somebody  whispering in his  ears ordering him to  kill  his son.

Arias  said  the  victim  has  been  in  and  out  of  the  rehabilitation center  for several years  already. They never thought   he would commit suicide, he added.

The victim was discovered dead by the watcher of another patient in the center.

Colina  was  rushed to the Negros  Oriental  Provincial  Hospital but  was declared  dead on  arrival  by  the  attending  physician. His remains  were brought  by  his  family  to  Barangay  Tugas, Tanjay.

Arias  explained  that suicide  is  common  among  people   with  severe  depression problem.  He  said  people  with  depression often  keep their  problems  to  themselves  so this could develops into  abnormal  psychological behavior.

He also said it  is  difficult  to  predict  the thinking  of  a  depressed  person   because  they  are  not  open  to conversation  or  in discussing their  problems with other people.

Suicidal tendencies could be attributed to hereditary, sociological  and environmental. Some  mental problems  develop  because of  addiction  to illegal  drugs, problems  in  the  family and broken  relationships, the doctor said.

Arias also said  people  with  depression usually  feel hopeless,  tired, have sleeping  problems, and are often  feeling nervous.*MA

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