JOIN USPrevention of suicide is a grave concern for India as people across all age groups fall prey to it. Extensive stress and the inability to handle the same pushes people towards suicide. A Lancet study published last year indicated that suicide was the leading cause of death in the age range of 15 - 29 years. The latest report from the National Crime Records Bureau shows that the youth belonging to the age bracket of 18 to 30 years constitutes the largest slab of national suicides—as much as 34.1%.
One of the prime reasons why suicide prevention has not gained prominence is the sorry state of our mental health care infrastructure. Although mental disorders are one of the major causes of suicide in the country, little has been done to tackle this effectively. It is a proven fact that depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder and substance abuse are common psychiatric issues that increase the risk of suicide.
India is not sufficiently equipped to treat these disorders and minimise suicide risk. Recent data shows that at present there is only one psychiatrist for every 400,000 people who suffer from psychiatric issues. Mental health expenditure accounts for only 0.06% of the total health budget which is inadequate to tackle the heavy burden of illness in the country.
As per the Union Ministry of Home Affairs data, one student commits suicide every hour. India loses 9,474 students annually. Shockingly, suicide kills more people in the country than AIDS. Data from 2016 reveals that around 62,000 lives were lost to AIDS, a whopping 230,000 lives were lost due to suicides.
As in the West, it is the need of the hour to consider suicide prevention strategies, and a multipronged approach should be adopted to create awareness.
Even though the country suffers from a huge suicide burden, there is no appropriate database on suicide. Most of these cases are under-reported, owing to the stigma. Several people with suicidal tendencies are unable to open up before a professional and seek help even when they get the privilege of reaching out to one. Stigma prevents parents of young adult’s to report any behavioural abnormalities in their children that may eventually lead to suicide. It also prevents isolated senior citizens from talking about their loneliness.
Community-based
approach necessary
It is high time that the government considered a community-based approach towards suicide prevention and tackle the crisis. Community-led preventive measures are low cost, not resource-intensive and can be implemented at a larger scale.
Under such measures, it is essential to equip individuals with skills to provide prompt responses to anyone in emotional distress. A public-private partnership model is required to make both the youth and the older adults aware of the causes of suicide in the country and the ways of preventing it. The mental health infrastructure should improve, adequate suicide prevention helplines should be introduced, and significant efforts should be made to cut off the attached stigma.
The suicide prevention framework should include establishing a network of contacts with affordable and reliable therapists and mental health professionals across the city along.
A multipronged approach can help the country overcome the present suicide crisis and reduce suicide induced mortality which is the need of the hour. From public health intervention to reduce access to the means, which includes reducing the availability of medication without prescriptions or pesticides without a license would help. Young people are likely to attempt suicide under the influence of substance or alcohol. These tend to increase impulsivity — we must be stricter in dispensing of alcohol to youngsters.
Take the example of diseases such as asthma and epilepsy that were previously highly stigmatized— but with open discussions around these the stigma gradually disappeared. More conversation around suicide can help reduce the stigma around it as well.
Suicide is a temporary emotional reaction to life’s stresses and most suicide survivors regret the act if they survive it. This makes it imperative that support is provided at the right time.
(The writer is a consultant of psychiatry at Aster CMI Hospital)