Over 8 lakh people the world over commit suicide every year, with one person committing suicide every 40 seconds and majority of cases being those at the prime of their lives between 15 to 30 years and 75% being the middle and lower income groups.
These figures official records were shared during the programme organised by Joyous Life Professional Counselling Centre Society ‘Depression/Anxiety and Suicide’ by academy counsellor of Kendriya Vidyala Lovitoli Awomi.
Awomi said as per the latest statistic by World Health Organization (WHO), Maharashtra registered the highest number of suicide cases – 16,307, followed by Tamil Nadu (16,122), West Bengal (14,310), Karnataka (10,945) and Telangana (9,623), making up the top five states with the highest suicide rates.
Awomi also revealed that Nagaland has the second least number of suicide cases in India. She however added that people cannot afford heave a sigh of relief or relax over it. In this, she pointed out that recent cases suggest the looming threat of suicide especially among adolescent girls due to instances of sexual abuse even by members of the family or relatives. She suggested the following measures to curb suicide due to depression and anxiety: spend time with family and friends, seek the help of professionals, rediscover one’s spiritual self, and focus on passions and goals.
Clinical psychologist and director of Joyous Life Professional Counselling Center and Society, Vivi Zhimomi who also spoke on the occasion shared observation based on a study conducted of a sample size of 702 students based in Kohima.
In the study to gauge general mental health, it was observed that the mental health of 17.2 percent was at the abnormal level, 28.8 percent was on the border line, adolescent population with emotional issues were reported in 17.1 percent of the sample, while 16.1 percent showed hyperactivity and 5.1 percent had conduct issues.
Zhimomi cautioned against the myth of how a person is considered “too young to be suffering from depression” and how depression has been undermined as “not too serious,” adding that every case reported must be treated with sensitivity and professionalism. Zhimomi advised that in case one observes signs of depression and anxiety in a loved one, he /she should be immediately referred to a doctor for physical examination, interview and laboratory tests, a complete history analysis and thereafter counselling sessions.
Director of Prodigal’s Home and collaborative director of Childline 1098, K Ela in her address touched upon how substance abuse, poor parenting, and the environment in school can contribute to depression and anxiety.
She also urged the gathering to further educate themselves on the provisions of the Mental Health Care Act of 2017, adding that it mandated that every district should have mental health care programmes.
Ela said when a family has a member addicted to substance abuse, the entire family undergoes immense mental stress with the mother suffering the most in maximum cases. She said there are many cases in Nagaland where children were harming themselves due to domestic violence. Poor parenting also contributed to children not growing up with a positive mental outlook, she added.
On the role of schools, Ela said schools have become a place where students have been immensely pressurized and they are no more fun as they were once. She said when children are not happy, they speak form the heart and they must be paid close attention.
Ela lamented how the general attitude and approach towards mental health has been that of indifference and ignorance with some attributing mental health issues to demonic possessions and referring them to prayer when there is clinical help available. She said that while she is not against prayer centres and praying, a scientific and rational approached must also be employed. She also pointed out that people with mental illness often lived “undignified lives” with no place to go to.
Ela was also doubtful if the government has proper data on the state of mental health in the state and called to work together towards addressing the issue.
The awareness programme was attended by teachers and students of schools and colleges and church leaders.