Chennai: The recent reports released by National Health Profile (NHP) suggest that the number of youngsters committing suicide is a growing concern for the country and the numbers continue to remain significant.
“Suicide rates are increasing significantly for young adults including male, female and transgenders in a wider population,” quotes the report.
It is important to pay attention to the behavioural pattern as the act is not always an impulsive decision, clarifies the report.
The 2015 report released by NHP shows that of the total 1,33,623 suicides recorded that year, 44,593 (33.37 %) of people were between the ages of 30 and 45.
It states that children under the age of 14 committing suicide may have reduced from over 2 per cent in the 2015 edition to less than 1 per cent, experts say this is another emerging area to worry as ending one’s lift is not an impulsive decision.
RELIGIOUS REASONS
Recently, the Internet was taken by storm when it was reported that 10 people from the same family committed suicide in New Delhi. The notes found at the residence described how the suicide was planned to happen. The investigation revealed that the members had to seal their mouths and eyes and everyone consumed poison to conduct the ritual.
Talking about committing suicides that are attributed to religious reasons, Dr Mini Rao, a city-based psychologist, says, “Thankfully, suicides connected with religion are not on the rise. Since more and more awareness is being spread, people think twice before deciding anything that has got to do with religion.”
“Such suicides are isolated incidents and not common any more,” she adds.
CAUSES AND CONCERN
Further, the psychologist opines that it is because of academic choices, relationship issues and broken marriages that suicides happens. The statistics remain the same without showing any fall in numbers.
“Comparing this year’s cases with last year’s, it is understood that the numbers have not come down at all and the reasons are the same. Only when the parents change their mindset and when couples opt to consult psychologists for pre-marital counselling, can we avoid such incidents,” she explains.
While we are constantly immersed in the virtual world, people are becoming depressed for not getting enough recognition is another growing cause.
Talking about the impact of social media, the psychologist says, “People trying to gain attention on social media platforms is an aspect that has to be addressed properly. Pictures of exotic vacations with family or partying with friends or dating with girlfriend is no more a cool thing to do – it has to be realised that it is causing mental trauma to another human being and has to be dealt with in a mature way.”
“I feel it is ‘Fakebook’ and not Facebook. Just to let the peers know they’re happy, they fake the emotions. Only the user knows if s/he’s really happy or not,” says the psychologist.
HEALTH SECTOR
The Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) in its 2018 National Health Profile has released statistics pertaining to the healthcare sector of the country covering demography, socio-economic, health status, health finance, health infrastructure and human resources. About suicides, the report states that the numbers continue to be significant.