The crime of silence around the country’s suicide epidemic (Live Mint)

Mains Paper 2 : Health
Prelims level : Talk therapy
Mains level : Reason behind rise of suicide epidemic

Context

• Every 40 seconds, someone somewhere in the world takes his or her own life.
• Imagine if it was not someone somewhere in the world. Instead, it is a family member, a friend, a colleague, a neighbour, or a person we know, who is perhaps thinking of taking their life. The crisis would then look different.

Highlights of the WHO’s data

• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), for every 100,000 women, about 16 women take their own lives.
• By the data available, India’s suicide rate for women is the sixth highest in the world. About a decade ago, a bulk of young female deaths in the country were attributed to child-bearing and related causes.
• Today, suicide is the leading cause of death among young women. We lose about 25 men for every 100,000 men to suicide.
• Suicide is the second biggest cause of death, especially amongst younger men, exceeded only by death due to traffic accidents.
• The Lancet series, the last such extensive study on suicides in India, placed the death toll of suicide in 2010 at 187,000.

Background

• Suicide is a complex phenomenon, and can be precipitated by a range of inter-related factors laced with a sense of hopelessness.
• The two mental ill health conditions most often associated with suicide are alcoholism and depression. Amongst the young, the commonest causes seem related to academic performance, and a “let down" in romance.
• Other factors stem from opportunity deficits and disadvantages determined by caste, economic and other forms of social inequity, political ideology, domestic violence, bullying, harassment and chronic diseases, among others.
• Global studies also show that a great number of suicides occur in countries with a rapid pace of development, such as India and China.
• What is evident is that it has taken on epidemic proportions, especially in our country.
• Each case leaves behind a close network of other human beings whose lives will never be the same again.
• Yet, there is a deafening silence around suicide, beyond the very few that get discussed in the media.

Risk factor

• Several studies have indicated that there are multiple risk factors associated with suicide, and these may vary with gender, age, physical and mental well-being, and individual experiences.
• Treatments and therapies, therefore, vary as well. Psychosocial interventions have been found to be beneficial for individuals who have attempted suicide.
• It has been observed that these interventions have dissuaded several individuals from making another attempt

Talk Therapy

• Psychotherapy or Talk Therapy is one such type of psychosocial intervention that can effectively reduce suicide risk.
• This can help people learn new ways of dealing with stressful experiences through training;
• To help individuals recognize their own thought patterns and consider alternative actions when thoughts of suicide arise;
• To reduce the rate of suicide among people with borderline personality disorder, a serious mental illness characterized by unstable moods, relationships, self-image, and behaviourWay ahead
• Decision makers and policies must ensure reduced access to means that promote thoughts of suicide.
• In order to address the immense need for viable mental health care services, there is also a need to develop scalable and evidence-based models of care across the country through collaborations and partnerships.
• These models, once endorsed by the government, can be replicated across India.
• The Maharashtra government’s partnership with Tata Trusts on mental health initiatives in Nagpur is one such example.
• Each and every individual can make a difference, and all it takes is one little step to reach out to someone who is in need.

Conclusion

• It is important to listen and connect and seek professional help whenever there is a need for it.
• One little gesture may, perhaps, save a family member, a friend, or someone we know.
• This one little gesture can help end this crime of silence that lurks in our midst.

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Prelims Questions:

Q.1) With reference to the Dracaena cambodiana, consider the following statements:
1. It is a recently discovered dragon tree species in Goa.
2. It is for the first time that a dragon tree species has been reported from India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both
D. None

Answer: B
Mains Questions:
Q.1) What are the reasons behind the rise of suicide epidemic?