This week a student of Women's Polytechnic College, Bangalore ended her life by hanging to a tree with her veil, in Cubbon Park. Three months ago, four 15-year-old girls, of Class X in same school, entered into a suicide pact and attempted suicide together in Bangalore.

Two of them died. The number of people ending their lives is disturbing. It speaks more loudly than anything else, about the health of the society. Why do people take the extreme step? What drives them to suicide? Are some people prone to suicide? Is suicide a cry for help or an act of aggression?

Dr Shekhar Seshadri, professor of Psychiatry, Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Nimhans says suicide is an “act of great pain because it involves a wish to die.” He explains why people take the extreme step and the reasons contributing to their decision. “Suicide may be a gesture of aggressive intent but it stems from hopelessness. Therefore, it is important that more preventive work should be done, on life skills, conflict resolution, relationships, gender and sexuality,” he adds.

He explains that there’s a two-population approach to suicide; non-fatal self harm and fatal self harm. Sometimes there’s an overlap; some people have a very strong intention to die but they survive a suicide attempt because of chance factor.

Some people don’t want to die but end up losing their lives. Their attempt to commit suicide is a cry for help, says the psychiatrist. A profile of people who commit suicide shows that a majority of them are not mentally ill; the step is usually in the backdrop of some recent disturbing event — experience of loss.

“There is an interesting trend as far as collective self harm is concerned. There are both strong gender and social issues, of inequity involved. Where the males are concerned, we have the example of farmers committing suicide where the severity of stress is so acute that it extends beyond involving others.

In the case of women, the act is mostly gender-related. For instance, a girl child is told that she's a burden on the family; she internalises it, and if the family is in debt, this message becomes a powerful antecedent in her committing suicide, Also, in cases when choices are taken away then once choice, to live or die gets narrowed," says Dr Shekhar.

He adds that parenting plays a very important role in the emotional health of children. "There should be a culture of disclosure at home. When children are going through issues, they should be able to confide and share with the parents. Every child looks for validation or legitimacy of his or her identity. Children are pained if their issues are trivialised. Also, media should highlight alternate forms of resolution and not romanticise suicide,” he says.