Study suggests hot weather conditions lead to suicide

A study conducted by the Haryana Police suggests that high rate of suicides have a lot to do with hot weather conditions in a particular state. According to the study conducted by the State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB), Haryana, the suicidal rate (suicides per one lakh population) increases with hot weather conditions.

If the study is to be believed, the southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu (TN), Kerala and Andhra Pradesh (AP) have hot weather conditions which creates hormonal imbalance, affecting patience levels and could lead to suicide.

The study, rubbished by psychologists and doctors, infers that the suicidal rate in cold regions like Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh is far less at 2.5 and 8.4 per lakh population respectively.

The suicide rate is 10.3 per lakh population in Haryana, 12.9 in Madhya Pradesh, 16.4 in West Bengal, 13.2 in Maharashtra, 17.4 in AP, 21 in Karnataka, 21.5 in TN, 25 in Kerala and 40 per lakh population in Puducherry.

“The study suggests that hot weather could have a strong relation with suicidal tendencies among individuals,” L R Dabas, additional director-general of police and director, SCRB said.

The study did not involve a psychologist or an expert. Instead, the exercise was conducted by police officers and was based on data collected from Haryana and other states.

Experts opine the study is laughable. Talking to Deccan Herald, clinical psychologist and former professor at Kurukshetra University, Dr Jaswant Rai, termed the report as unscientific, while observing that studies on suicides are best handled by experts and its reasons are intrinsically psychological.

Dr Vivek Lal, neurology specialist in PGIMER, Chandigarh, said there is no correlation between rise in temperature and suicidal tendencies. Further, the study suggests a solution. It says, increased intake of water during summer counters suicidal tendencies.

It adds that due to rise in temperature, violent tendencies increase and subsequently the tendency to commit suicide.

“Drinking plenty of water balances the hormones and also reduces the violent streak in a human being,” the report stated.