Every year about 250,000 people committed suicide in China. Killing oneself has become the top cause of death among people aged 15 to 34, a survey says.

The research, conducted by the Beijing Huilongguan Hospital and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, concluded that depression is the chief cause of the suicides, increasing risk of suicide by as much as 20 times, while anxiety disorder ups the risk by 6 to 10 times and alcohol abuse by 6 times.

People with physical ailments are more likely to be depressed, making them a high risk group for suicide.