Suicide is a serious problem and it requires great mental and emotional
support from others if normal public is not going to accept it with open minds
and more welcoming nature then we are never going to be able to cure this
problem. There are so many factors which can lead a person to that edge where he
attempts to kill himself.
One of the biggest reasons is mental illness and it is very important to prevent
suicidal behavior and make efforts to read these early warning signals. The rate
of suicide attempts in India has been increased in this pandemic situation,
people lost their jobs, many are stuck somewhere alone for months and the
emotional and psychological factors of a pandemic leads to the risk of suicide
by feelings of hopelessness.
Many times there are situations in which suicide is preventable and there are so
many helpline numbers and suicide prevention centers and institutes which can
help to reduce the risk of taking your own life. India as a country should work
in the direction of reducing the rate of suicides and should introduce more laws
like the mental health care Act of 2017 and the great decision of
decriminalizing section 309 of Indian penal code by Indian government is very
appreciable and welcoming for mental health care. People should not talk about
mental health and suicide prevention only on some days but we should work every
day to prevent suicide.
Preface
India being the youngest and most developing nation still couldn't satisfy the
needs of so many people who are suffering on a daily basis. According to a
survey conducted by a leading newspaper approximately 28 people commits suicide
in a day. According to NCRB reports approximately 10,159 students committed
suicide in 2018, 9905 in 2017 and 9,478 in 2016. Suicide rate is increasing with
a pace but nobody to control it.
What Is Suicide? Why Do People Commit Suicide?
It is very difficult to imagine what led a person to take such a big step of
committing suicide. There are so many factors which can combinally lead a person
to take their own life and there is nothing more horrifying than taking your own
life and killing yourself. Even experts can't fully understand the reasons why
some people do this but there are some life circumstances and mental health
issues which play a vital role.
- Depression
- Hopelessness
- Bipolar disorder
- Substance use disorder
- Psychosis
Post- traumatic stress disorder
However mental health issues are not the only reasons which provoke people to
commit suicide deep emotional pain and other factors like break-ups, trauma,
bullying, abuse, exam fear, financial distress, loss of someone close etc. are
also some factors which contributes a significant part in suicidal behavior and
risk of committing suicide.
Suicide Rates In India
In 2016 the quantity of suicides in India had expanded to 230,314. Self
destruction was the most widely recognized reason for death in both the age
gatherings of 15–29 years and 15–39 years. More than 800,000 people commit
suicide worldwide every year and more than 20% population is from India. In only
2019 a 3.4% of increase was observed in suicide rates i.e. 1, 39,123 suicides as
compared to 2018 and 2017.
As indicated by the measurements by the NCRB, which capacities under the Union
Home Ministry, the self destruction rate in urban communities (13.9 percent) was
higher when contrasted with the all-India self destruction rate (10.4 percent)
in 2019. Self destruction by ''hanging'' (53.6 percent), "devouring toxic
substance'' (25.8 percent), ''suffocating'' (5.2 percent) and
''self-immolation'' (3.8 percent) were the noticeable methods for submitting
suicides during the year, the information appeared.
Family issues (other than marriage-related issues) were behind 32.4 percent of
suicides, marriage-related issues (5.5 percent) and ailment (17.1 percent)
together represented 55 percent of the all out suicides in the nation during
2019, it expressed.
For each 100 self destruction passing's, 70.2 were male and 29.8 females, the
NCRB, which gathers information from police recorded cases, expressed. Almost
68.4 percent of the male casualties were hitched, while the proportion was 62.5
percent for female casualties, the information appeared.
Dominant part of suicides were accounted for in Maharashtra (18,916), trailed by
13,493 in Tamil Nadu, 12,665 in West Bengal, 12,457 in Madhya Pradesh and 11,288
in Karnataka, representing 13.6 percent, 9.7 percent, 9.1 percent, 9 percent and
8.1 percent of all out such passing's, individually.
These five states together represented 49.5 percent of the all out suicides
announced in the nation and the rest 50.5 percent suicides were accounted for in
the staying 24 states and 7 UTs, the information appeared. Uttar Pradesh, the
most crowded state, revealed a relatively lower rate of self-destructive
passing's, representing just 3.9 percent of the all out suicides in the nation,
it included.
Laws Related To Suicide In India
Attempt to commit suicide is no more a crime under section 309 of IPC in India.
Article 21 of the constitution states that to quote "No person shall be deprived
of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by
law". Article 21 does talk about right to life but no article talks about "Right
to die".
Section 309 of Indian penal code states that to quote "Whoever attempts to
commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence shall be
punished with simple imprisonment for a period which may extend to one year".
The Indian Penal Code had been defined during British Raj Regime of 1860, and
was essentially administered by British law of that time. Incidentally, India
keeps on observing the obsolete law despite the fact that Britain itself had
decriminalized suicide route in 1961 and it took so many years for India to
decriminalize this law. But it's better to be late than never so finally on May
29th a new mental health care act of 2017 was notified by the health ministry.
The act states that to quote "Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 309
of the Indian Penal Code, any person who attempts to commit suicide shall be
presumed, unless proved in any case to have extreme pressure and will not be
attempted and rebuffed under the said Code". Now As per the new act of 2017 in
any attempted suicide case government will have to provide rehabilitation, care,
therapy and treatment to the person who was trying to commit suicide to reduce
the risk of recurrence of the same incident.
The cost of rehabilitation and treatment would be free for the person in any
government funded mental health institution. The act of 2017 defines mental
illness and is trying to change the outlook of people for mental health issues.
Pointed toward changing the psychological medical services system in the nation,
it is instituted to fit India's laws with the Convention on Rights of Persons
with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.
"Every person has the right to live life with dignity….whether he has any mental
illness or not" the act of 2017 says that there shall be no discrimination with
the mentally ill person on any basis including gender, caste, class, social and
political beliefs, religion, culture etc. because these provisions tries to
bring the mentally ill person at par with the physically ill in terms of
healthcare.
This act also encourages the right of mentally ill to live in, be a part of and
not be segregated from the society. The Act of 2017 has been generally invited
with the desire that with satisfactory mindfulness, it will guarantee the
intellectually sick with the option to live with respect would build discussion
about mental medical care and would help eliminate the disgrace related with
psychological sickness.
What Happens After The Suicide?
Postvention is for individuals influenced by a person's self destruction. This
intercession encourages lamenting, advisers for diminish blame, nervousness, and
melancholy and to diminish the impacts of injury. Loss is precluded and advanced
for therapy and supporting their versatile limits before mediating sorrow and
any mental issues.
Postvention is likewise given to limit the danger of imitative or copycat
suicides; however there is an absence of proof based standard convention. Be
that as it may, the overall objective of the emotional wellness expert is to
diminish the probability of others relating to the self-destructive conduct of
the perished as an adapting methodology in managing difficulty.
Suicide Prevention
"It's not weak to seek help" period! Recently on September 10 world suicide
prevention day was observed. It is an awareness day in order to prevent the
attempt and commission of suicide. India as a country needs collection of
efforts to reduce the risk of suicide. Many times suicide is preventable we just
need to do the general efforts like social support and social engagement.
Medication and counseling is also very helpful.
It isn't so much that our country isn't doing the needful to battle this
shocking circumstance. Indeed, it has been sorting out umpteen missions and
setting up brief self destruction anticipation crews to help those out of luck.
Notwithstanding that, there is consistently a helpline number for
self-destructive contemplations or a helpline number for discouragement that one
can call for help. Nonetheless, it won't tackle the issue until we carry out our
responsibility well, and that is the point at which we, as mindful residents of
India, should assume responsibility for our lives and everyone around us.
We just need to read the early warnings and contact the helpline numbers if this
thought ever pops in your mind and just remember "
You Are Worth So Much Don't
Let Anyone Or Anything Hamper Your Peace Of Mind".
Few organizations which are helping people in fighting these situations and
prevent the preventable.
Roshni:
Is an Hyderabad based NGO which is helping people with mental health issues and
it is a member of befrienders worldwide which is an international organization
working recognized by united nations.
Sneha India foundation:
This organization provides suicide crisis helpline numbers and provides
emotional support to those who are in need.
ICALL:
ICALL works under Tata Institute of Social Sciences and provides emotional
support to those who are suffering from psychological distress.
There are so many other sources too which are available for your supports just
Reach Out For Help!
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