Suicide Prevention: Need of the Hour

In a sad and alarming news India is currently the world’s suicide capital with 2.6 lakh cases per year as revealed in a recent report by the WHO, ‘Preventing Suicide, A Global Imperative.’ The report also informs that sadly India also happens to have the highest rate of suicides amongst the youth aged 15-29 years. Unfortunately suicide also comes in 8^th as the leading cause of death.

Suicide maybe considered as the last resort to deal with a temporary problem but timely prevention can put a stop to this global epidemic. As individuals we can do our bit in trying to help someone close to us be it our family, friends or co-workers who might be at the brink and contemplating suicide. The least we can do is become keen observers, lookout for the important signs and intervene.

Key Signs to watch out for

1. A sudden decline in social interactions. If you notice someone close to you be it a family member or a friend who is spending more time alone, not socialising, is cut off and dislikes doing things that he/she once used to love doing. It definitely calls for an intervention.

2. Lookout for continued depressed mood or mood swings.

3. Withdrawal. Disinterest in talking and communicating to near and dear ones.

4. Unexpected changes in weight, appetite and sleep patterns are key indicators of probable depression.

5. If that person inquires about drugs, poisons or weapons.

6. Previous attempts to harm oneself through self-destructive behaviour and lookout for self-inflicted wounds like cutting/scratching/marking the body.

7. Suicide notes. These painful scribbles or thoughts by a suicidal individual is a tell-all sign of grave danger and have to taken seriously.

8. Threats. Be it direct comments about taking their lives to threaten and scare. Other times indirect clues could be hidden in the form of violent behaviour that tilts towards threatening to commit suicide.

9. Problems and difficulties faced in relationships.

10. Look out for unusual increase in consuming alcohol, pills or drugs.

Keeping things bottled up and unable to vent out one’s true feelings, feeling smothered could be some of the reasons for such suicidal thoughts to enter one’s mind. Make sure to talk to someone close to you whether it is your best friend, confidant or mentor. Helplines work in calming the suicidal individual in their fragile state of mind until they seek professional help. Having a good support system definitely helps to prevent suicide. Of course removing the social stigma attached to seeking psychological help for mental illness is the way to go about it. Talking to a shrink and getting oneself treated for psychological or emotional problems should not be considered an embarrassment. Awareness and timely prevention are ideal to change India’s sad statistics.

CALL A COUNSELLOR

When should you speak to a counsellor??

Has this question arisen in your mind? Are you unsure when to approach a counsellor or what a counsellor does? Is it only when things go out of control? Or I can just call or if I am going through some stress or emotional distress. The confusion is mainly because of lack of awareness and understanding about the role of a counsellor. Let’s understand, why are counsellors here?

Counselling Psychologists are trained in psychological theory and therapy, They utilize their training to deal with stress and symptoms of suicide.

What problems can I seek advice for?

Young people may have a variety of problems ranging from anxiety and depression arising from difficult life issues to more serious mental health problems. Life issues could include:

· exam and study stress

· career

· dating concerns

· relationship difficulties

· parent child issues

· domestic violence or the after effects of childhood sexual abuse, etc

So does it mean I am crazy? Or I am a patient? Do I need treatment?

No. Counselling has been seen as a taboo in some places, some time people don’t approach a counsellor face to face. That is the main reason Tata Institute of Social Science has launched a FREE counselling helpline

iCALL – A Psychosocial and Legal Helpline

022 25563291

11 am to 10 pm (Monday to Saturday)

iCall is a project of the TATA Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) iCALL stands for “Initiating concern for all”, is manned by trained clinical and counselling psychologists. There is someone to hear you out, just listen to you. If you are in distress, you can speak to an expert.

You can call and will be attended to promptly by a trained counsellor. The identity of the callers is completely confidential. As a part of ethical practice, there is no voice or audio recording done. However, details such as the kind of problems for which the call was made, as well the time helps them in analysis of issues and understand the nature of issues faced by people.

In extreme cases, you may need to be referred to a specialist. iCall will help you in that. One can also email queries to icall@tiss.edu.

Or from anywhere in India, you can also contact AASRA

24x7 Helpline: 91-22-27546669

This free,confidential helpline is answered by professionally trained volunteers. So, whatever your concerns are, you can be rest assured that you will receive non-judgmental and non-critical listening.

Please note, the caller's identity is never revealed and none of the calls are recorded or shared.