By – Ms Pragya Priya Mondal, Counselling Psychologist, Monoshij – A Mental Health Unit Of Techno India Group
The word ‘suicide’ that continues to be whispered and penalised, surprisingly enough, is rarely taken with the seriousness it deserves. Although attempted suicide is no longer criminalised, it continues to be shamed even to this day when there are active conversations about mental health almost at every institution, leaving the victims to be treated almost like untouchables.
According to World Health Organisation, over 720 thousand people, globally, die by suicide every year. Especially in the recent times, there has been quite a surge in the rate of suicide among students. The recent years have seen over 13000 student suicides per year in India itself, latest recorded by National Crime Records Bureau in 2022. According to the recent reports of NCRB, students make up 7.6% of India’s total suicide death count.
According to a study done in 2020, 62% of Medical students and 36% per Engineering students in India were witnessing Depression. Reports by National Medical Commission released in February 2024 revealed 122 cases of Medical student suicides in a span of 5 years. The actual count might even exceed the reported data.
Prevention of suicide is a years-long path, to be frank. It isn’t something that stops at the installation of spring-loaded fans. Perhaps, the focus needs to shift from the idea of ‘prevention of suicide’ to a boost in the love for life. In a way, hope is the opposite of this urge to die. Nurturing an environment of emotional support, educating authorities and parents about the importance of encouragement instead of using shame and punishment to produce desired performance out of the students, enhanced sensitivity regarding the needs of youth, reduction of stigma around suicidal ideation and attempts are highly essential if the idea is to build a world that inspires life rather than hustle. At the same time, stricter laws around bullying and ragging need to be urgently implemented considering the countless cases of suicide following bullying. And most importantly, it is very essential to implement mental health initiatives actively, involving personal counselling and awareness programmes for students, guardians, and institutes alike. The students can greatly benefit from including stress management programmes as a part of the academic curriculum.
There is often a simplified understanding about the cause of suicide among adolescents- academic pressure and poor examination results. Somewhere, in the process of oversimplifying the cause, the context is lost in translation. What also needs to be understood apart from the dangers of constant nudging and unrealistic expectations held by the family is that there is excessive shame associated with performance, fueling a cycle of increased anxiety, burnout, and even avoidance behaviours. A red mark on the paper is preached as an equivalent to a tainted personality, a pointless birth, being tolerated as a burden. Suicide itself can be looked at as a way to avoid the turmoil of this shame and negativity- such that death and nothingness start appearing more appealing. It is their eroding self-esteem and a crooked reflection on the mirror that they now want to do away with, and shame is a lethally effective tool to bring one to the point of taking their own lives. Furthermore, there is shame associated with attempted suicides as well, driving them to attempt it again, stuck in a loop of shame and the desperate search for an escape from it.
Apart from academic performances, bullying is one of the biggest concerns among the barrage of other factors that bring one to the point of self-termination. Issues with family, rejection, self-doubt, disruptions in romantic relationships are also significantly associated with suicide attempts among adolescents. In certain cases, suicide is often an act of impulsivity as well.
It often starts with “I wish I was dead”, hoping that they wouldn’t pose a problem to the people around them, hoping they wouldn’t disappoint them. But looking further into such thoughts, one can discover crippling feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. There are symptoms to look out for, and it is essential that as social beings, we ensure we keep an eye on our loved ones when they are making their initial attempts to reach out before they start withdrawing from social contact altogether. Symptoms also include having mood swings, changes in routine and sleeping patterns, and irritability. It can involve severe anxiety, low self-esteem, a lack of motivation and a general exhaustion, a loss of interest in things they previously used to enjoy, feelings of worthlessness, and an inability to concentrate. These are what can be typically associated with Depression in young people, which puts one at a huge risk for suicidal ideations and attempts.
There has been a dramatic rise in the rate of children and adolescent suicides in India since 1014. The latest data in 2021 reveals a count of over 10,000 children and adolescent suicides. 0.022% of all children and adolescents died by suicide in the year 2021 itself, and the trend observes a consistent rise since 2014.
Causes behind such a turn of events are many. Academic failure, family issues, disruptions in romantic relationships, rejection, bullying, and often impulsivity were closely associated with suicide attempts in children. However, these are just a superficial list of reasons that are easily tied to the phenomenon. It is essential that we look deeper into the context that reinforces a pattern of using shame and punishment as tools to discipline them and to produce desired performance out of them. That along with a general lack of sensitivity for the emotional needs of a teenager are often contributors of distress among the youth.
Rates of suicide among married individuals has been found to be higher than that of unmarried. According to research, married individuals face difficulties related to increased family-oriented responsibilities, marital conflicts, financial burdens, and stress. There are also issues arising from the tug-of-war between work and family, especially if there are children involved, and the load of handling conflicts at both the places- work and home. In addition to that, financial stress and unmet expectations in relationships are also significant contributors of stress. Rates of domestic and marital abuse are also not quite promising, further pushing the abused to take the path of taking one’s life solely to avoid more torture.
As per a recent study, among the married, the rate of suicide has been observed to be 8.5 per 100,000 people compared to 4.1 deaths per 100,000 unmarried individuals.
This can change with the presence of supportive marital households. Encouraging open communication among spouses and family and strengthening social support in general can massively help in bringing about a relief from stress. Professional help is also available for individuals experiencing marital issues, involving Marriage and Couple Counseling services that equip one with conflict-resolution skills and communication techniques along with an emphasis on self-care as well. It is very, very essential to care for self throughout as a part of the process of caring for a relationship.