Why do people commit Suicide and what can be done to prevent them?

LIFE IS VERY PRECIOUS. BUT ITS THE LACK OF IMPORTANCE FOR IT WHAT WILL LEAD TO SUICIDE. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT NO ONE CAN REPLACE US. OUR RESPONSIBILITY, WORK, LOVE NO ONE CAN RENDER, BUT ONLY WE. HERE, WE MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL. FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE REASONS FOR, SOMETHING ELSE IS MORE THAN OUR LOVE FOR LIFE. MAIN REASONS: 1. PARENTAL CARE AND INFLUENCE IN A WRONG DIRECTION. 2. POOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT OTHER THAN PARENTS(FRIENDS,RELATIVES) 3. SUBJECT CAN BE GUILTY FOR HIS DEED 4. TO ESCAPE FROM THE FUTURE DISASTER 5. PSYCHOLOGICAL ILLNESS FROM LONG TIME. PREVENTIVE MEASURES: 1. LET THE PROCESS START FROM "I" 2. RECOGNITION OF ONESOWN INTEREST AND LIMITATIONS 3. BUILD POTENTIAL TO FIGHT FOR AND STAND BY "I" INTEREST 4. GETTING MORE EXTROVERT AND HAVING GRAET EXPOSURE TOWARDS ONES OWN AND DIFFERENT LIVES. 5. TO UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT PRESET GOALS ARE NOT ULTIMATE. WE HAVE GOT TO DO MUCH MORE THAN THEM. "EVERY CLOUD HAS SILVER LINING"

once upon a time there was this frog living in a well.It had a preassumption that only that well is its world and it never tried to come outof it.The very samething happens with the person who commits suicide.He/She losses the vision to see his/her future beyond his/her failure which has led them to take the decision of commiting suicide.I feel the very first responsibility of parents is to fill in a mentallity which strenghtens their child.

Dial in distress The rate of suicides is alarmingly high in Bangalore. Sahai, the suicide-prevention helpline, reaches out to those on the verge of taking the extreme step THE STATISTICS are alarming. Over 2,000 suicide deaths are reported in Bangalore every year. Over 70 per cent of those who commit suicide are below 35 years of age, and 35 per cent of those who fall in the age group of 15 to 24 include those facing relationship, academic, and peer pressures problems or those who have just begun a career. But thankfully, there is some help on hand now for those on the verge of taking the extreme step. Sahai, Bangalore's only suicide prevention helpline, is trying to reach out to people and pull them out of the brink. The helpline works from the office of the Medico-Pastoral Association (MPA), with the help of NIMHANS, which trains volunteers who man the telephone line, and the Rotary Club of Bangalore East that bears the expenses. Volunteers reach out distressed callers from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Romola Joseph, the Honorary Secretary of Sahai, reveals that a good number of callers are men. She explains further: "Men do not ventilate like women do and keep it all inside." She also says that most callers are aged between 20 and 35. The cause of distress could range from inability to deal with a spouse's infidelity to the caller's own compulsive incestuous behaviour, adds Lata Jacob, the administrator at Sahai. The best part of the helpline is that the call remains confidential and there are never moralistic judgements about the caller's problems. "Sometimes we lift the phone to only hear incessant sobbing. Our volunteers then wait and gently urge the caller to sip some water before they start talking," adds Lata. She points out that most people are desperate for someone who is willing to just listen. The crux of the matter, she argues, is to let the caller know that s/he is not alone. This becomes particularly important on occasions when the caller has made all preparations to die. "We listen to their pain, anger, rage, and betrayal and then address the issue," says Romola, who points out that crying has therapeutic value. Volunteers hail from all walks of life. They undergo a 30-hour training programme so that they can identify the difference between a caller who is desperate and someone who is distressed, and learn methods of handling them. "Care and compassion are vital," says Lorna Murray, a volunteer from Scotland. In a lighter vein, she admits to being stumped by a caller who wanted practical advice on how to deal with an Indian mother-in-law! But what led to the setting up of such a thoughtful service? It all started when a study on the epidemiology of suicides in Bangalore, conducted by Dr. Gururaj and Dr. Mohan K. Issac, both from the NIMHANS, revealed some alarming statistics. More than one lakh people commit suicide in country every year, and there has been disconcerting 41.3 per cent rise in the rate of suicides in the last decade compared to the decade before. The situation in Bangalore, as mentioned earlier, is shocking. Medical problems, dowry, alcohol and drug abuse, sexual abuse, relationship problems, loss of a loved one, loss of a dream... the list of causes is endless. Sahai receives calls from students who have failed in their exams and are afraid to tell the parents the truth. And sometimes, from men and women who are in deep debt after being swindled by people they trusted. More often than not, old memories and emotions resurface during a crisis and the individual suffers from a feeling of acute unworthiness and low self-esteem. People at Sahai feel that parents and teachers can play a crucial role in the task of character building. "Children remember a lot and it is the duty of the parents to provide an atmosphere of encouragement, love, and support," says Romola. In case a child hails from a dysfunctional home, the parents must inform the school about it, thereby saving the child from negative emotions and stress. When trained at an early age, children will grow into strong adults and will not be not prone to suicidal tendencies. "Parents must encourage their children to explore their talents and check out various career options instead of being fixated," says Romola about parents who have high expectations from their kids. Suicide is an impulsive act. "Things change, give yourself time and do not act on it," advise Romola and Lata. Sahai can be reached on 5497777. For more information, dial Medico-Pastoral Association on 5477375 or on e-mail mpa72@vsnl.com. HARIPRIYA SRINIVASAN