World Suicide Prevention Day – Heal the world, Make it a better place
MSuicide and Depression are the most tragic nightmares facing humanity today. More recently the continuous stressful pandemic situation has created an even more harsh and depressive world environment to live in. Thousands are suffering due to this impact causing mental health conditions to deteriorate. This is the time when the society must take initiatives to focus on suicide prevention.
World Suicide Prevention Day is observed each year on 10th September to raise awareness regarding the subject of suicide and the actions that can be taken to prevent these tragedies on a global scale. In 2003, the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) to host the first ever World Suicide Prevention Day. Since then, many countries around the world have joined them in this venture. In 2011 approximately 40 countries held awareness events to mark this occasion.
The observance of World Suicide Prevention Day seeks to highlight that support through the adoption of a multilevel and cohesive approach, where individuals can work towards suicide prevention, taking a minute to reach out to someone in the community or to a family member, friend, colleague or even a stranger.
“The reasons for this widespread tragedy are many and it has heightened even more because of the global pandemic - ranging from career anxiety, workplace and financial instability, to domestic violence, academic stress, failed romance, peer pressure, paranoia, anger, acute loneliness, disease, and old age disabilities. The ultimate trigger for suicide is the acute hopelessness which an individual experiences when they have no one to talk to, no one around to listen to or understand their feelings of terrifying pain. Even if they do find someone willing to listen to them, they often feel judged and misunderstood sometimes disastrously resulting in them taking their own lives,” says Suksam Singh, Founder of Lifeline Foundation.
It’s indeed a growing problem and the numbers tell a shocking story. Every 40 seconds someone takes his or her own life according to the World Health Organization (WHO). That’s about 800,000 people worldwide every year, although some estimates put that number closer to one million. Suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 15-29. In India, suicidal deaths have been on the rise. According to national records, approximately 1.4 lakh people ended their lives in 2019 which is nearly 400 suicides daily.
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Jyoti Gurtu Sapru, counsellor and founder of Self Help Counselling Centre says: “Suicide rate has taken a drastic jump during this pandemic among younger generation and I strongly feel that the mental health of students are going to be a cause of concern in the years to come. We have failed as parents, as an entire generation of not knowing where to stop and how to deal with the children locked up at homes. The children are going through physical and mental stress, something unimaginable due to the unpredictability of their future. Patience is somehow running out and parents are losing hope as well as time and are not able to attend to the lonely child who is going through mental trauma back home, unable to mingle with friends in school. As parents we fail to recognize this and take them for granted. But after the mishap then we realize the loss and what we could have done. COVID-19 has made us understand the importance of family, that’s where one feels loved and bonded and get that emotional support.”
In 2003, the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) to host the first ever World Suicide Prevention Day.
The observance of World Suicide Prevention Day seeks to highlight that support through the adoption of a multilevel and cohesive approach, where individuals can work towards suicide prevention, taking a minute to reach out to someone in the community or to a family member, friend, colleague or even a stranger. Organisations like Lifeline Foundation has been working for the last 25 years on the issues of suicide prevention, providing emotional support to depressed, distressed and suicidal persons very confidentially over telephone helplines and operates 365 days of the year from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily all over India.
“Our personal loss has made us realize that one must always remember life is precious and it always deserves a second chance. So, if a family member or a friend is feeling emotionally drained or in a dark depressive suicidal state and you feel you need to talk to, please reach out or recommend them to several helplines,” adds Suksam Singh.
