“A young boy took his life after failing in exams,” “an unemployed man shot himself after takings lives of his wife and kids,” and “a mother threw herself and her kids in front of a train.” These are few excerpts of horrific news we get to read almost daily.
Alarmingly, people have started opting for suicide as a permanent solution to their temporary problems. Life is too precious to be ended like this. We as a community need to educate ourselves on the importance of mental health, the red flag of suicide and strategies for suicide prevention.
Suicide has taken the form of a menace. It has become a monster that is eating precious human lives. It has become a global threat to public health and safety. The WHO reports that 700,000 people take their lives every year. It means one person commits suicide every 40 seconds.
This epidemic of suicide is affecting underdeveloped and developing countries alike. In 2018, suicide was the second leading cause of death in the US for children and young adults. While in Australia it was the 1st leading cause of early or premature death.
Sadly, almost 75 per cent of suicides occur in low and middle income (LMI) countries and Pakistan is no exception. According to the World Bank, the suicide mortality rate in Pakistan is 8.9 per cent. It means that almost nine people out of every 100,000 commit suicide. Every year. This prevalence is alarmingly high.
It is an open secret that the terms on which multilateral financial institutions issue loans to developing countries are largely determined by the US
The availability of reliable data on suicide is a formidable challenge in Pakistan. We do not get significant information on suicide based on age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic class and other such demographics. Therefore, we have to rely on statistics collected in small surveys or research studies. A review article indicated that the prevalence of suicide mortality was two-fold in Pakistani men as compared to Pakistani women. It also indicated that more single men and married women committed suicide and the most common reason for suicide remained family conflicts.
There can be different underlying reasons for developing suicidal ideation (thinking about taking own life). In many cases, people who attempt suicide have a history of mental illness especially depression. Some other common causes include family conflicts, strained relationships with spouse, job stress, failure in studies, overindulgence in violent video games, drug abuse and being a victim of bullying. In midst of COVID 19 fear of getting infected, deprivation of social interactions, the stress of being isolated and the trauma of losing a dear one to Corona have further increased the risks of developing depression and other psychological problems.
In countries like Pakistan, the economic recession has made things more miserable for many unskilled and skilled workers. Layoffs, salary cuts and closure of businesses have even hit the white-collared segment of society very badly. Many cases of suicides reported in newspapers these days indicate financial challenges as an important underlying factor.
In most incidents, the family and friends of victims are left surprised because they had no clue that their dear family member or friend was planning to take his/her life. Psychologists say that people with suicidal thoughts start giving certain subtle warning signs before actually committing suicide. If family members and acquaintances keep a close eye, they can pick these red flags and provide help at the right time.
In many instances, the family members of a suicide victim report that a few days before attempting suicide, the person started behaving strangely. These reported strange behaviours involve avoiding social interactions, over silence, loss of interest in life, sadness and depression and talking about death. All these behaviours are subtle cues of suicide that often go unnoticed.
Few other common red flags include social withdrawal, increased irritability, aggressive outbreaks, giving away valued personal possessions, losing interest in previously cherished activities and drug abuse. You might also notice sleep disturbances, loss of appetite and constant complaints of body pains. Searching for poisons, medicines or firearms online is another important warning sign. Overindulgence in social media and taking interest in firearms available at home should also be checked.
Suicide can be fatal, but it is preventable. The efforts for preventing intentional personal harm can be made at the personal, family and community levels.
At a personal level, it is important to include physical exercise in your routine and spend time with yourself. Listen to your inner calls of distress and make sure that you consider mental health as important as your physical health. Do not feel shy of sharing your fears, stress and depression with close friends and family members and do not hesitate to take professional help for solving mental health issues.
At the family level, make sure that you do not approve of the social isolation of a depressed family member. Always ensure that you maintain good communication within your family. Remember, the mind is a dangerous neighbourhood. If you left your stressed or depressed family member alone in this neighbourhood, he/she can get swollen into it. Non-judgmental active listening and reassurance can encourage your dear one with suicidal ideation in gathering the courage to reach out to you.
On the community level, establishing online suicide prevention platforms, suicide help hotlines and pro bono virtual consultations with professionals can be very effective, especially for youth.
Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day. Help an old neighbour in purchasing groceries. If a family is in isolation, check on them by calling or drop a hot supper for the family in distress.
Amy Leigh said that kindness can transform someone’s dark moment with a blaze of light. You’ll never know how much your caring matters. So, if a friend or colleague reaches out to you for emotional support, make sure that you don’t hesitate to lend an ear.
Most importantly, we have to remember the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH) and try to make sure that in our neighbourhood no one is hungry or deprived of basic needs. Remember, service to others is the rent you have to pay for your room on this earth. Every act of kindness helps in making this world a better place.
The writer is a Director Programs & Projects at Rising Sun Education & Welfare Society