Intentionally taking one’s own life is suicide. It is true that any person injures himself, that is why it is suicide. But, unfortunately there are many factors involved indirectly. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), substance abuse (including misuse of alcohol and narcotics), these factors increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions.
In most cases, social isolation (including feelings of loneliness and lack of support from family or friends), relationship problems (such as the loss of a loved one, breakup, divorce, or conflicts in relationships), financial difficulties or economic stress (unemployment, financial instability, or excessive debt), traumatic experiences (such as physical abuse, violence, or significant life events like job loss or harm to a loved one), cultural and social factors (stigmatization of mental health issues, cultural norms related to suicide, or limited access to mental health resources), stress and harassment etc. factors have been found. People who have attempted suicide in the past are at a higher risk of attempting again in the future.
In the realm of suicide prevention, it is crucial to limit access to lethal means such as firearms, medications, and toxic substances. Improving economic conditions and careful media reporting act as a significant deterrent, providing individuals in distress with valuable time to reconsider their thinking.
Why did he commit suicide
This is about 1 a.m. at night. The sound of something falling came from Arjun’s room. Went and saw, the stool was lying on the ground. And Arjun…, As they said that, their throat choked up. They said; I crouched down and lowered him, shook him, called out to Renu, and asked for water to be brought. I carefully lowered him down, shook him, called Renu and asked him to bring water. In a hushed voice, filled with concern, they said; But it was all in vain. Perhaps it was too late? By now he was gone.
A piece of paper was found lying on the floor in his room, which he had left for us. Written on it was, Thank you for never understanding me. The words written on the torn piece of paper were expressing his pain. The peacefully sleeping Arjun seemed to be saying that not only me, but all of you are responsible for this.
Vital Statistics on Suicide
Like Arjun, 800,000 deaths occurred in 2022 all over the world. One person dies by suicide every 39.42 seconds. It is the 10th leading cause of death globally. The whole world is bent upon knowing that what are the reasons behind these suicides happening in the world? After research and a lot of data analysis, we arrived at the destination that 90% of people die from mental illness. People who have previously attempted suicide are 20 times more likely to make another suicide attempt compared to the general population (who do not attempt suicide). It is also estimated by the WHO that for every suicide death, there are 25 suicide attempts. The highest rates of suicide are in Eastern Europe, followed by Western Europe and Southeast Asia. The lowest suicide rates are in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
The most commonly adopted method of suicide is related to the availability of means in different countries. Common methods include hanging, insecticide poisoning, and the use of firearms. In 2021, there were 164,033 suicides in India. In 2020, this number was at 1,59,000. According to the latest figures, the suicide rate in India is 12 per 100,000 people. The NCRB also reports that the suicide rate for women in India is 10 per 100,000 people, while the suicide rate for men is 14 per 100,000 people. This is the 15th leading cause of death in India. The highest suicide rates in India are in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The most common reasons for suicide in India are mental health problems, family problems and financial problems.
Note: These figures have been taken from NCRB, World Health Organization, National Institute of Mental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Facts and reality
Every year lakhs of people go to the land of death like Arjuna. The suicide death rate is increasing every year. All these figures are useless until this death rate is reduced. People in the age group of 15-30 years have the highest number of suicides in India. The reason for these is family and mental problems. Society, all families and parents need to look into this complex problem.
Change is the beginning of the end of this problem. People with mental problems are the most among those who die by suicide. This can be observed worldwide. This has been observed throughout the world. That’s why we need to see mental problems (such as depression, schizophrenia, or anxiety etc.) as a disease. Those people need treatment. This is possible only when the whole society understands it. Not only in India but the whole world needs change. Facts, research, data, or statistics say anything, but the truth remains the same: suicide.