Dr Samir Parikh :
It is an established fact that suicide has become a global phenomenon. In fact, suicide has been listed as the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year old’s globally in 2012 according to WHO. Moreover, it is estimated by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that at least 25 attempts are made for every completed teen suicide.
In a recent report released by WHO, suicide rates in India has been recorded as the highest in the south East Asia region. With the rate of suicides almost quadrupling over the past decade, it would not be incorrect to estimate that suicidal tendencies are a growing reality of our society across all sections of the population, regardless of age, gender, economic strata or any other demographic section.
Teenage years, or adolescence in itself has been identified as a crucial period, considering the rapid changes as a part of the developmental phases itself, coupled with dealing with the transition from childhood into the next developmental phase of life, bringing with it inherent anxieties, and confusions regarding the formation of identities, dealing with relationships and their own self-concepts. Within such a context, it is not surprising to understand the susceptibility of the youth towards experiencing high stress levels.
What is important to understand is that a suicidal mind, regardless of age, gender, or any other demographic variable, tends to be filled with many despairing and negative emotions that begin to overwhelm the individual. In such circumstances, a sense of hopelessness and helplessness can cause a person to resort to suicide as the only means available, as they tend to feel helplessness, and do not feel that they could change the present, feeling that circumstances are beyond their control.
It is also important to understand the role of family and friends in preventing suicides. There is a need to understand that, suicides are preventable. While working towards suicide prevention, one needs to act calm and provide support by being there for the person, build a strong support system and should encourage the person.
As a parent and as a friend, one needs to understand the warning signs of suicide. It is crucial to reach out to a mental health expert in case of crisis. A positive support from a mental health expert at the right time can give a ray of hope to a suicidal individual, and help them reconsider their options, re-evaluate, and end up learning more adaptive coping mechanisms to deal with their stressors.
The warning signs of suicidal intent may differ from person to person. Some may suffer from sudden change in mood or some may get isolated from friends and family members. Following are few common signs of suicide.
Giving away of precious belongings or possessions
i) Indulging in excessive risk-taking behaviour like reckless driving increased alcohol or drug-use, etc.
ii) Sudden fascination with death/suicide related music, movies or literature
iii) Being on the lookout for lethal, poisonous or sharp pointed objects like knives, ropes, pills etc.
iv) Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, anxiety, anger or even revenge.
A sense of purposelessness in life
Our society also plays an important role in suicide prevention. There is a need in making the society aware about the suicide prevention helpline numbers. It is important for us to recognize the importance of establishing an adequate peer support and social network system, family support, school as well as community connectedness, as they in themselves could serve as a major factor in lessening the risk of suicides. In fact, it is our societal responsibility to encourage talking about our mental health, creating not just awareness, but also a sensitivity around mental illnesses, so that more and more people are able to reach out for help, and enable an earliest intervention. This is the responsibility of all of us, as responsible adults, the front-line workers and gatekeepers in schools, colleges, playgrounds and parks, or any other public area as well, not to forget the role of the media as well as role models to help sustain these efforts. All our efforts need to be directed towards creating a robust national suicide prevention policy, which can actually make the vision of preventing suicides a reality.
(Writer is Director, Mental health & Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare)
It is an established fact that suicide has become a global phenomenon. In fact, suicide has been listed as the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year old’s globally in 2012 according to WHO. Moreover, it is estimated by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that at least 25 attempts are made for every completed teen suicide.
In a recent report released by WHO, suicide rates in India has been recorded as the highest in the south East Asia region. With the rate of suicides almost quadrupling over the past decade, it would not be incorrect to estimate that suicidal tendencies are a growing reality of our society across all sections of the population, regardless of age, gender, economic strata or any other demographic section.
Teenage years, or adolescence in itself has been identified as a crucial period, considering the rapid changes as a part of the developmental phases itself, coupled with dealing with the transition from childhood into the next developmental phase of life, bringing with it inherent anxieties, and confusions regarding the formation of identities, dealing with relationships and their own self-concepts. Within such a context, it is not surprising to understand the susceptibility of the youth towards experiencing high stress levels.
What is important to understand is that a suicidal mind, regardless of age, gender, or any other demographic variable, tends to be filled with many despairing and negative emotions that begin to overwhelm the individual. In such circumstances, a sense of hopelessness and helplessness can cause a person to resort to suicide as the only means available, as they tend to feel helplessness, and do not feel that they could change the present, feeling that circumstances are beyond their control.
It is also important to understand the role of family and friends in preventing suicides. There is a need to understand that, suicides are preventable. While working towards suicide prevention, one needs to act calm and provide support by being there for the person, build a strong support system and should encourage the person.
As a parent and as a friend, one needs to understand the warning signs of suicide. It is crucial to reach out to a mental health expert in case of crisis. A positive support from a mental health expert at the right time can give a ray of hope to a suicidal individual, and help them reconsider their options, re-evaluate, and end up learning more adaptive coping mechanisms to deal with their stressors.
The warning signs of suicidal intent may differ from person to person. Some may suffer from sudden change in mood or some may get isolated from friends and family members. Following are few common signs of suicide.
Giving away of precious belongings or possessions
i) Indulging in excessive risk-taking behaviour like reckless driving increased alcohol or drug-use, etc.
ii) Sudden fascination with death/suicide related music, movies or literature
iii) Being on the lookout for lethal, poisonous or sharp pointed objects like knives, ropes, pills etc.
iv) Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, anxiety, anger or even revenge.
A sense of purposelessness in life
Our society also plays an important role in suicide prevention. There is a need in making the society aware about the suicide prevention helpline numbers. It is important for us to recognize the importance of establishing an adequate peer support and social network system, family support, school as well as community connectedness, as they in themselves could serve as a major factor in lessening the risk of suicides. In fact, it is our societal responsibility to encourage talking about our mental health, creating not just awareness, but also a sensitivity around mental illnesses, so that more and more people are able to reach out for help, and enable an earliest intervention. This is the responsibility of all of us, as responsible adults, the front-line workers and gatekeepers in schools, colleges, playgrounds and parks, or any other public area as well, not to forget the role of the media as well as role models to help sustain these efforts. All our efforts need to be directed towards creating a robust national suicide prevention policy, which can actually make the vision of preventing suicides a reality.
(Writer is Director, Mental health & Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare)
Disclaimer: [The views and opinions expressed by the doctors are their independent professional judgment and we do not take any responsibility for the accuracy of their views. This should not be considered as a substitute for physician’s advice. Please consult your treating physician for more details]
