Bangalore: Bangalore has reported the second highest number of suicides after Chennai in 2013. Latest figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicate that Bangalore recorded 2,033 suicides in 2013. The number of attempt to suicide cases was 40 during the same period. Since January this year, only 33 attempt to suicide cases have been reported in the city.
According to medical experts and psychologists, for every suicide there at least 10 attempt to suicide cases and they are not part of official records as these figures indicate. Many of these attempt to suicide cases are not reported due to the stigma attached and possible police harrassment. Consequently they do not recieve any psychological or psychiatrist help.
Doctors opine that people should be encouraged to report attempt to suicide cases also so that it can help address a major public health problem that contributes to a significant number of deaths, hospitalisations and socio-economic losses.
The Data
The NCRB 2013 data reveals that men are more prone to suicides than women with almost two men committing suicide to every woman who ends life in the city.
Teenagers and people in their 20s constitute 45.8 per cent of the total number of suicide victims in the city. NCRB data shows that as many as 932 people in their 20s committed suicide.
Housewives and students were found to be the most vulnerable sections.
Of the 725 women, who ended their lives in the city during 2013, nearly 380 were housewives. While 52 dowry deaths were reported, 248 women killed themselves owing to family disputes.
Most women who killed themselves died by hanging, 77 of them immolated themselves.
When it comes to statistics with regard to students, 175 ended their lives in 2013. And, police records indicate that 74 committed suicide over failure in examinations and a large number of boys committed suicide owing to failed love affairs.
The stress of modern living in a city and the competition it generates amongst its population to make it big, is certainly a contributory factor if the statistics are anything to go by. Cleary recognition of suicidal behaviour and timely management will help in tackling the issue.
Suicide prevention web site launched
The Centre for Well-Being of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) on Tuesday launched a website dedicated to suicide prevention.
A press release from the Centre, said that, the website has been developed by NIMHANS in collaboration with the White Swan Foundation. It will evolve over time to provide material to motivate and empower people to work together for suicide prevention. The website will also contain a section with real life experiences/ positive stories of individuals surviving crisis points in their loves.
Training
NIMHANS, in February 2013, launched a Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention. A release said that a gatekeeper is someone who believes that suicide can be prevented at the community level. Anybody can be a gatekeeper, including teachers, parents, doctors, nurses, social workers, hostel wardens, police, lay counsellors and community leaders. The release said that empowering the gatekeepers with required knowledge and skills is an important step in suicide prevention.
So far, 359 gatekeepers have been trained and a network of gatekeepers has been formed. These gatekeepers can approach the team members by email/ phone for any case of management related to suicide prevention.
Campaign to reach out
The release added that NIMHANS is launching a campaign that urges people to pledge to reach out to those who may be in distress as well as to reach out to others when feeling distressed. People can log on to the website (www.gatekeepersindia.org) to make a pledge.
