Life Desk :
‘Suicide Prevention’ was the theme of a seminar organized at Hindustan University in Chennai, South India. Students from various departments of the university came together to share messages on how to prevent suicides, as part of the observance of ‘World Suicide Prevention Day 2014.’
Akshaya and team from the department of aeronautical engineering provided global statistics on suicide and listed out some important reasons that drive people to commit suicide.
They highlighted the report of the World Health Organization (WHO) that ‘every 40 seconds around the world a person commits suicide. More than 800 000 people die by suicide every year and some 75% of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.’
“Depression is a major risk factor for suicide. However, we can overcome this by adding nutritious food in our diet. Food that are rich in some essential fatty acids found in oily fish, like mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, kippers and fresh tuna can help to relieve depression,” the students said.
Providing the statistics of suicide in India, Vidhur and team from the department of computer science, noted that India is emerging as the world’s suicide capital. Of the total suicide worldwide every year, 135,000 (17%) are residents of India, a nation with 17.5% of world population.
Students from this team observed, “Suicide is a public health problem and it is preventable. We can prevent it through awareness. We should do everything in our power to get the required, timely help that a suicidal person needs.” Some suggestions they put forward to save a person from committing suicide were, ” If you think a friend or family member is considering suicide, talking with them openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can hopefully, save a life. Persuade the person to see a mental health expert, help locate a treatment facility, or take them to a doctor’s appointment.”
They concluded the message, quoting Nelson Mandela:
“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
Angel Soji, Director of Chennai Jeevan Suicide Prevention Center, who led a special session on the topic for the students, revealed that Chennai reported the highest number of suicides among adolescents in India and worldwide.
Ms Soji said several apparently well-functioning young people unexpectedly took their own lives, without any prior sign of a mental disorder. Their reasons for committing suicide include feeling rejected and not having succeeded in achieving their goals, she added.
“Everyone knows that Thomas Edison failed more than 1,000 times when trying to create the light bulb. If he hadn’t failed, he might not have become America’s most well-known and prolific innovator. So, failure is not the end of life. There is life beyond failure and face it with courage, and create a better tomorrow,” she concluded, in a note of encouragement to all those troubled with self doubt and loss of self esteem in the face of temporary defeat or failure.
