台灣精神健康議題及其相關的暴力或傷害事件，並非單一因素所致，而是多重結構性問題交織的結果，包括精神疾病盛行率偏高、病識感不足、社會安全網存在缺口，以及現行法律對強制介入與治療設下極高門檻。從2025年的整體現況來看，這些因素共同形塑精神健康風險在社會中反覆浮現的背景。

首先，在疾病盛行與就醫障礙方面，台灣的精神健康需求規模相當龐大。每年約有超過兩百萬人因情緒或精神相關問題尋求醫療協助。憂鬱症與焦慮症的確診人數在2011年至2020年之間明顯攀升，分別突破四十萬與六十八萬人。然而，即便如此，實際的就醫率仍顯不足，尤其在年輕族群中，約有四成符合就醫標準的憂鬱症患者未曾接受治療。許多高風險個案因缺乏對自身病況的認知，或擔心遭受社會標籤與歧視，而始終未進入醫療體系，使潛在的危險長期隱藏在社區之中，直到爆發為止。

其次，強制就醫門檻過高也是制度上的核心問題之一。依據《精神衛生法》，只有在個案被認定為「嚴重病人」，且具有明確傷害自己或他人的危險時，警方或消防人員才能依法護送其就醫。隨著2025年新版《精神衛生法》全面施行，強制住院的決定權由原本的行政審查改為須經法院裁定，並引入參審員制度，以更周延地保障病人人權。這樣的改革在理念上強調自由與尊嚴的保護，但在實務上也使介入流程更加謹慎且複雜，增加第一線人員在危機時刻平衡公共安全與法律程序的難度。

再者，社區支持系統與社會安全網的脆弱性，進一步放大風險。許多精神疾病患者長期仰賴家屬照顧，而家屬往往承受沉重的經濟壓力與心理耗竭。當患者拒絕規律服藥或就醫時，家屬通常缺乏有效的法律工具或資源加以介入，導致病情反覆惡化。雖然政府自2021年起推動「強化社會安全網第二期計畫」，並計畫在2025年前將社區精神病人關訪員擴充至千人以上，同時設立更多心理衛生中心，但在資源尚未完全銜接與普及之前，仍有部分高風險個案可能脫離追蹤與支持體系。

至於暴力與傷害事件的成因，病情不穩定與藥物中斷是關鍵因素之一。許多事件發生於個案出現幻覺、妄想或情緒嚴重失控的期間，且往往伴隨未按時服藥或中斷治療的情況。此外，部分個案同時合併酒癮、藥癮，或具有反社會人格特質，這些問題相互影響、彼此強化，使其在社會中造成傷害的風險顯著升高，也讓預防與介入變得更加困難。

整體而言，台灣的精神健康相關事件並不能單純歸因於個人問題，而是人權保障、公共安全、醫療量能與社會支持系統之間長期拉扯下的結果。若您身邊出現疑似有嚴重精神健康困擾的人，可參考衛福部心理健康司所提供的相關資源，或撥打 1925安心專線尋求協助；若已出現緊急或即時的傷人風險，則應立即撥打110或 119，請警方與救護人員依法介入並護送就醫，以在合法程序下兼顧安全與人權。

Taiwan’s mental health challenges and the occurrence of related violent or injury-causing incidents are not the result of a single factor, but rather the outcome of multiple structural issues intertwined over time. These include a relatively high prevalence of mental disorders, insufficient illness awareness, gaps in the social safety net, and extremely high legal thresholds for compulsory intervention and treatment. Looking at the overall situation in 2025, these factors together form the background against which mental health risks repeatedly surface in society.

First, in terms of disease prevalence and barriers to seeking treatment, the scale of mental health needs in Taiwan is substantial. Each year, more than two million people seek medical care for emotional or mental health–related issues. The number of diagnosed cases of depression and anxiety rose markedly between 2011 and 2020, exceeding 400,000 and 680,000 respectively. Even so, the actual treatment rate remains inadequate, particularly among younger populations. Approximately 40 percent of young people who meet the criteria for depression and should seek medical care do not do so. Many high-risk individuals remain outside the healthcare system due to a lack of insight into their own condition or fear of social stigma and discrimination. As a result, potential dangers can remain hidden within the community for long periods before eventually erupting into crises.

Second, the high threshold for compulsory treatment constitutes another core institutional problem. Under the Mental Health Act, police or fire departments may escort an individual for medical treatment only when that person is deemed a “severely ill patient” and is assessed as posing a clear risk of harming themselves or others. With the full implementation of the revised Mental Health Act in 2025, decisions on involuntary hospitalization were shifted from administrative review to court rulings, with the introduction of a lay judge system to better safeguard patients’ human rights. While this reform emphasizes the protection of personal freedom and dignity in principle, in practice it has made intervention procedures more cautious and complex, increasing the difficulty for frontline personnel to balance public safety with legal requirements during critical moments.

Furthermore, weaknesses in community support systems and the broader social safety net further amplify these risks. Many individuals with mental illness rely on family members for long-term care, placing heavy financial and emotional burdens on their caregivers. When patients refuse regular medication or treatment, families often lack effective legal tools or sufficient resources to intervene, allowing conditions to deteriorate repeatedly. Although the government has promoted the “Second Phase of the Social Safety Net Strengthening Plan” since 2021, aiming to expand the number of community mental health case managers to over a thousand by 2025 and to establish more mental health centers, some high-risk individuals may still fall out of monitoring and support networks before these resources are fully integrated and widely available.

As for the causes of violent or injury-related incidents, unstable conditions and interruption of medication are key factors. Many such incidents occur when individuals experience hallucinations, delusions, or severe emotional dysregulation, often in conjunction with irregular medication adherence or complete discontinuation of treatment. In addition, some individuals also struggle with alcoholism, drug addiction, or antisocial personality traits. These issues can interact and reinforce one another, significantly increasing the risk of harm to others and making prevention and intervention far more challenging.

Overall, mental health–related incidents in Taiwan cannot be simply attributed to individual responsibility alone. They are the result of a long-standing tension between the protection of human rights, public safety, healthcare capacity, and social support systems. If you encounter someone who appears to be suffering from serious mental health difficulties, you may refer to the resources provided by the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Department of Mental Health, or call the 1925 Lifeline for support. In cases of immediate danger or risk of harm, please call 110 or 119 right away so that police and emergency medical personnel can intervene and escort the individual for treatment in accordance with the law, balancing both safety and human rights.