Suicides don’t take place in a vacuum. They take place in a society. Suicide cannot be blamed on an individual, no matter how much our society loves to do it but it can be blamed on a social context — the caste system, for one.
A society that is full of stratification, oppression, and discrimination, both in microcosmic and macrocosmic social spaces. If we are to even think of a subject as complex as suicide prevention, especially in a country where suicide rates are alarming among vulnerable populations, we have to take several steps back from the individual suicide.
UNIVERSAL CHALLENGE
Over 13,000 students died in 2021 in India at the rate of more than 35 every day. This is up by 4.5% from the 12,526 deaths in 2020 with 864 out of 10,732 suicides being due to “failure in examination” according to the latest data as per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB’s) ADSI report 2021.
Suicide prevention still remains a universal challenge. Every year, suicide is among the top 20 causes of death globally. It snuffs over 8,00,000 lives.
THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIOUR
There is a lot of evidence that exposure to a death by suicide may trigger suicidal thoughts and behaviours in vulnerable people.
This is called ‘contagion’ and can lead to a cluster of suicides, in a particular area or within a group.
So, any death by suicide needs to be reported and managed sensitively to limit distress and reduce the risk of contagion.
Mental health issues had increased significantly post- covid as people were struggling with emotional and financial crises.
Although there has been lot of awareness at various levels, more sensitization is needed at many levels, including parents, teachers and communities to prevent the risk of suicides. Moreover, families play a pivotal role in supporting an individual in distress.
FAMILY
As per the NCRB report 2021, amongst various factors, family problems were the major reason for suicides at 33.2 per cent, followed by illness 18.6 per cent and unknown causes 9.7.
One need to understand why one particular student takes the extreme step of suicide in a group of students, exposed to a common environment. Genetic predisposition is an important reason. Inability to cope with failures, family discord, substance abuse and intoxication are the other major reasons for a person to contemplate and commit suicide.
Suicide was not a spur of the moment act but had a background to it. It is inappropriate to look at any suicide separately from the causes.
Suicidal ideation is a result of thoughts, impulses and actions where an individual constantly focuses on dying as they find no meaning in their lives. The most vulnerable individuals for suicide are those with major depression disorder. Others with co-morbid mental conditions like OCD, schizophrenia, dysthymia are also at risk. One should notice the warning signs in a person like withdrawal from social life, hopelessness and helplessness.
A comprehensive public health approach is needed to prevent suicides. Teaching coping and problem- solving skills can help people manage challenges. Options for temporary assistance for those in need and connecting at-risk people to coordinated mental and physical health care facilities will greatly help in reducing suicides incidents.
(Dr Naresh Purohit is Advisor for National Reproductive and Child Health Programme (RCH), National Mental Health Programme. He is Executive Member of the Federation of Reproductive Health Services – India (FRHS – India). The views expressed here are of the author)