25% jump in India's suicide rate since 2001

[prasad1]

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More than 1.35 lakh people committed suicide in the country in 2011 of which the highest number were reported in West Bengal followed by Tamil Nadu. Family Problems and illness, accounting for 24.3% and 19.6% respectively, were the major causes of suicides while poverty was to be blamed in 1.7% of the cases, according to government data.
Love affairs (3.4%), drug abuse/addiction (2.7%), dowry dispute (2.4%) and bankruptcy (2.2%) were among the other causes.


Delhi has reported the highest number of suicides (1,716) among UTs, followed by Puducherry (557). Seven UTs together accounted for 1.9% of total suicides in the country.


The number of suicides in the country over the decade (2001–2011) has recorded an increase of 25% -- from 1,08,506 in 2001 to 1,35,585 in 2011.


West Bengal reported the highest number of suicides (16,492) accounting for 12.2% of the total suicides last year followed by Tamil Nadu (15,963), Maharashtra (15,947), Andhra Pradesh (15,077) and Karnataka (12,622).


They accounted for 11.8%, 11.8%, 11.1% and 9.3% respectively of the total suicides in the country.


These five states together accounted for 56.2% of the total suicides reported in India, the NCRB said.


The remaining 43.8% suicides were reported in the rest of 23 states and seven Union Territories, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).


Uttar Pradesh, country's most populous state (16.5% share of the population) has reported comparatively lower percentage of suicidal deaths, accounting for only 3.6% of such deaths.


Fifty-three mega cities accounted for 13.5% of the total suicides in the country.

25% jump in India's suicide rate since 2001 - Hindustan Times


Why?

 

[mkrishna100]

[h=2]25% jump in India's suicide rate since 2001 [/h]

A very sad thing . But some points to be noted when dealing with these statistics .
Last year or so I watched a Program on TV where a Psychiatrist spoke on TV and he was asked questions regarding high rates of suicides in Kerala ( the Most Educated state ) and low rates of suicide in UP ( which is not highly educated state ) and he told everyone jumps to conclusion that high education leads to suicide and give example of Kerala .
He said Kerala being a high educated state , more people openly report about the suicides and hence the documentation of suicides is most in Kerala due to its high education while in Backward states there is very less reporting of suicides and hence they report less suicides compared to Educated states . Anyway this is an observation and I see some merit in this but the fact that stress in Urban Educated people are increasing and cant be denied and I see lot of stress/ depression in Urban people these days , more so in young Urban people working in the IT /Service Sector . Mental Illness is really there and there is not much support system to educate people about this and how to take care of people affected by the same .

 

[SANDHYAV]

The suicide death rate in men aged 15 years or older varied little across age groups in comparison with that of women, which peaked in 15-29 years and decreased thereafter. At ages 15-29 years, suicide was the second leading cause of death in both sexes. Most suicide deaths occurred in rural areas — the age standardized death rates were about two times higher in rural than in urban areas.
In the absence of other causes of death, men aged 15 years or older have a lifetime risk of suicide of 2% or higher in AP, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
"The large variations we observed between states clearly point to the role of as yet poorly understood social factors in influencing the risk of suicide in India. We recorded a reduced risk of suicide versus other causes of death in women who were widowed, divorced or separated, compared with married women and men," Prof Patel said.
The study says, suicide claims twice as many lives in India as HIV-AIDS and almost as many as maternal deaths in young women. Suicide kills nearly as many Indian men aged 15-29 as transportation accidents. Studies have shown that the most common contributors to suicide are a combination of social problems, such as interpersonal and family problems and financial difficulties, and pre-existing mental illness.
Times View
A very large proportion of suicides in India can be attributed to the manner in which families and society at large deal with all forms of mental illness. Where something as common as depression is rarely recognised and when recognised is even more rarely treated because there is a stigma attached to ailments of the mind, there clearly is a problem. What can be easily treated with some medication and counselling more often than not goes untreated till it develops a more serious form. Both government and civil society need to act to change this. Above all awareness must be built that the mind is as liable to be affected as other bodily organs and there is nothing to be ashamed of in acknowledging this.

 

[prasad1]

A very large proportion of suicides in India can be attributed to the manner in which families and society at large deal with all forms of mental illness. Where something as common as depression is rarely recognised and when recognised is even more rarely treated because there is a stigma attached to ailments of the mind, there clearly is a problem. What can be easily treated with some medication and counselling more often than not goes untreated till it develops a more serious form. Both government and civil society need to act to change this. Above all awareness must be built that the mind is as liable to be affected as other bodily organs and there is nothing to be ashamed of in acknowledging this.

There are no social leaders in this field. (Social leaders are forming political party I suppose).

 

[sarang]

Sobering fact is poverty related suicides are way down in rankings. This should be attacked when india has surplus food. This year too, in punjab and haryana, the go-downs are full of last year's stocks and no space for storing this year's harvest.

An extended joint family supported the the sick and unstable members of the family. In our eagerness to ape the western model in a hurry, we have not created facilities for the special cases.

 

[SANDHYAV]

suicide is accorded low priority in the competition for meager resources. The mental health services are inadequate for the needs of the country. For a population of over a billion, there are only about 3,500 psychiatrists. Rapid urbanization, industrialization and emerging family systems are resulting in social upheaval and distress. The diminishing traditional support systems leave people vulnerable to suicidal behavior. Hence, there is an emerging need for external emotional support. The enormity of the problem combined with the paucity of mental health service has led to the emergence of NGOs in the field of suicide prevention.The primary aim of these NGOs is to provide support to suicidal individuals by befriending them. Often these centers function as an entry point for those needing professional services. Apart from befriending suicidal individuals, the NGOs have also undertaken education of gatekeepers, raising awareness in the public and media and some intervention programmes. However, there are certain limitations in the activities of the NGOs. There is a wide variability in the expertise of their volunteers and in the services they provide.

 

[sarang]

Some murders are converted as suicides by the police for various reasons and as per the convenience of police and secular bosses.
Two days ago, in kerala, a hindu boy who died of burn injury and who has given a statement from death bed that he was set on fire by the relatives of the muslim girl he was in love with, is converted to a suicide case.

"Irinjalakuda DySP Biju Bhasker told Express that according to his dying statement, he was set
ablaze by his lover’s relatives. “But as per the information we received from the site of the
incident, the youth set himself ablaze frustrated over the behaviour of the girl’s relatives."

Youth in love dies of burns - The New Indian Express

 

[SANDHYAV]

attempted suicide is a criminal act by itself!

 

[Iyyarooraan]

If thieves do not change their mindset, thefts cannot be prevented let there be any number of policemen. Similarly the individuals having suicidal tendencies should correct themselves internally. Of course the society should help in creating flexible alternatives for people of ordinary ranks. The main people who fashion the life of an individual are parents and relatives and hence they are responsible too. And there are outsiders who push up things for individuals unknowingly. The acquired or in-built traits of stubbornness is also a warning signal. Even if everybody forgets, the cinemawallas and serialwallas will show them and guide them how to do it. After all it is question of TRP. Let the society go to dogs. They show you fleetingly the disclaimers in fine prints. If they are prevented, they might perhaps commit suicide.

 

[renuka]

attempted suicide is a criminal act by itself!

Dear Sandhyav ji.

Frankly speaking if you actually talk to a person who tried to attempt suicide your heart will melt for them.

I sometimes wish the law would be less harsh on an attempted suicide victim.

It's a delicate fragile situation and many people call people who attempt suicide cowards but in reality it takes a lot of guts to even think about suicide.

It's really a major decision but society views such individuals negatively.

No one wants to die for nothing at all...they die cos they never got help or support.

 

[renuka]

An extended joint family supported the the sick and unstable members of the family. In our eagerness to ape the western model in a hurry, we have not created facilities for the special cases.

Dear Sarang ji,

We really can not play the blame game and blame the west whenever we fail to rectify a situation in our own home front.

Every society has it's strength and it's weakness.

After all it's the Indian cinema who will show a love failure who commits suicide and the Western cinema who will show a love failure feeling bad for a few days and then find a new love and live happily ever after.


But then again someone might say that the Indian can't love anyone anymore and chose to end his/her life and the westerner does not value love and goes for another.

So either way a Westerner will be blamed!LOL

 

[prasad1]

Some people always find an external source to blame.
It is western influence, US agenda, PM's failure, Congress, democracy, or Muslim. They further think that we need to eliminate all them and we will find our pot of happiness.
They forget that they should take personal responsibility for the ills of the society (I hope they are part of it). Happiness is a state of mind.

 

[C RAVI]

1) When craziness over some thing and when stubbornness started dancing in brain beyond limitation, people end up in committing suicide. Because, with such craziness and stubbornness they start losing the sense of importance of many beautiful things of life, of their personal life and that of the people related to them.

2) When people suffer from failures, unable to accept it, they tend to commit suicide.

3) When people are humiliated and tortured by their own family members, they tend to commit suicide. People can least bother about what the people in society do and how they insult as long as the people whom they are closely associated/related continue to love them, respect them and care them. When this is lacking and in fact when the same family member start humiliating and torturing, the individual end up committing suicide.


In all the above cases, their heart and brain gets well synchronized in such a way that, neither the sense of bravery/guts nor the sense of importance of life takes place.

All they can sense is, they are miserable and want to end their life.


Definitely while attempting to commit suicide they would cry a lot. Why? Because, they had to end their life without living the way they desired to live. Neither they will have the sense of fear of death nor the sense of hopes, while committing suicide.


People call them cowards because, they could not have the self confidence and the strength to face the challenges of life and the challenges posed by the society. They are considered meek because they are not capable to accept failures and disappointment and could not face criticism.

People call them cowards and meek only in the sense that, they have no strength and self confidence to live and die a natural death by continuing to live, unmindful of challenges NOT to mean that the "THOUGHTS and the "ACT" of suicide does not demonstrates abnormal mental courage to indulge in.


That's the subject of psychology and the core professional and expertized skills of the psychiatrist, that encourages/rectifies/molds people with suicidal tendencies, to have the strength/boldness and right perspectives of living rather to cowardly succumb to the challenges of life and commit suicide.

 

[prasad1]

Feeling helpless in their situation, they resort to suicide.
Some of it can be psychology, and some other ailment can cause such situation. I feel sorry for them that India can not provide mental health care for them.

Some are financial (farmers), again it may be due to ignorance, that should not happen.

Some are lovelorn and can not take rejection.

Some are brought about by the society. All these regid rules of society, traditions and cultures, without understanding of the true meaning. Degrading of women, other caste, other class. People are not taught their true value, and we do not accord people respect. Religion has also failed us, in spite of increased visit to places of worship, we fail to provide the safety net.

Most of the time, if only some one was there to listen to them, suicide rate will come down.

 

[C RAVI]

In my post no.13, I said this -

"1) When craziness over some thing and when stubbornness started dancing in brain beyond limitation, people end up in committing suicide. Because, with such craziness and stubbornness they start losing the sense of importance of many beautiful things of life, of their personal life and that of the people related to them."


In would like to elaborate the above point of mine and add the following -


The globalized environment is influencing the whole world in which, Westernized Culture is playing a major role.


Let me say something about the influences in our country (India) that is destructive, due adopting the Western Culture -


The western living style is been imitated and that is found to be the right way of Living one's life to the fullest. People go to any extent to demonstrate themselves as some one who has a broader/globalized mind set to adopt anything in any way. In the name of friendship and Fun, going crazy is constantly increasing.


This is what happening extensively, especially in metros -

1) "Cool!!!! After all we had fun and I have not hit you to death. Come on dude/baby, we had fun. I would suggest you to keep enjoying your life to your heart content. You not gonna lose something, in fact you would enjoy more. Have a broad mental make up dude/baby and live a colorful life with out which you will be just a loser. Hey, be friendly dude/baby and give me a call. I can introduce to another person as well to have more fun. There are many more wonderful night in life, don't miss it out!!! OK!!! So, don't be a prudish"


2) Hey team guys, we gonna have a great party tonight in view of achieving more than our target!!!! In the party we will have many interesting and exciting games. A boy and a girl as winners of each game would be offered an all paid 'Hang Out" in private, sponsored by the company. How Cool is that??!!!?? Cheers!!!!

3) Come on dude/baby, what are you talking??? You are 20 years old and you are saying you are still virgin??!!?? Dude/baby are you out of your mind??!!?? LOL!!!! OR may be you need to consult a doctor for possible abnormalcy. Are you a gay/lesbian? If so, don't hesitate to admit my friend. Get up and show up in the gay/lesbian parties and have fun dude/baby.

4) Hey what's up guys!!!! Where you guys are lost??!!?? Hurry up and action upon your dreams of settling in US/Canada/Europe and start living your Life to the fullest. Don't say that you couldn't achieve your dreams due this, that etc. If you couldn't achieve, just admit that you are useless and a loser. OK??!!?? Don't talk rubbish to cover up your failures. You can't simply defend yourself to me/us by reasoning out your emotional attachment to your home and home country. You got it straight???

5) Come on dude/baby, in which part of the world you are??!!?? You dunno how to dress in a modern way?? You are such a crap that you still remain old fashioned and sticking to nonsense of the past? You dunno the importance and the fun of socializing?? You dunno what's the latest gadgets in the market??? Probably, you are Dumb. As well most probably you are a miser or a pauper. LOL!!! Shame on you dude/baby. Don't say that you are my friend OK!!??!!


6) What???!!!!??? Oh My God!!! You are 18 years old and you say you can't go against your parents??!!?? You say, your parents control you??!!!?? You say, you can't sleep over some one's home??!!?? Oh No!!!!! What a stupid you are...LOL!!!


7) What?? Come again please?? Did I hear you properly as what exactly you are saying??!!?? Hmmmm, you mean Indian Culture, Tradition and values are great!!!!. LOL!!! What can I say about this utter nonsense?? Dude/Baby, come out of the dark, open your eyes and brain and see the world around you. Don't be a fool and lose out the charm of real living with our proudly and discriminating sense. Look, This is 21st Century, OK??!!?? Change yourself dear and see the reality around. Your culture, tradition and values are nothing before your personal life in this globalized world. Don't allow yourself to be fooled by some stupid old fashioned folks around you. Be smart to adopt the globalized culture. Otherwise you will be no where!!!! Look at me my dear and many like me around you. We are also Indians BUT we choose not to be fools any more. Try to learn from us If you wanna live a real life. If you don't wake up now, you will be simply allowing yourself to rot, following your stupid culture, tradition and values, succumbing to your so called Feelings of India and Feelings of your culture/tradition/values. LOL!!! I pity you man....



etc..etc..

 

[amala]

Renu i totally agree with you when you say attempting suicide takes a helluva lot of guts and its not really for the cowards. It takes alot to give up your life for the unknown death. And what if you don't make it to "netherworld" and end up in severe pain, hospitalised etc. I shudder to think of that!

 

[amala]

Some points worth taking on board perhaps, but what is with the imitating Western style talking!! . Comes across as extremely cheesy!

 

[prasad1]

If western mode of living causes suicide, then why is suicide rate in the west so low?

 

[renuka]

I feel those who are not in the medical field have really not much idea what goes on in the head of a suicidal person.

It is really pitiful to see such cases..even though I have been a doctor since 1995 but sometimes when you see a person who has attempted suicide I still do have tears in my eyes after the patient leaves the room.

It is very easy for others to talk when they have no idea what suicide is really all about!

I think we humans need to have some amount of compassion for people who have tried to attempt suicide or people with suicidal thoughts.

I am quiet amazed to see some posts here with very little understanding.

 

[renuka]

If western mode of living causes suicide, then why is suicide rate in the west so low?

Dear Prasad ji,

It is low cos help and rehabilitation is available and also church members are very very supportive.
Even out here those who have tried to attempt suicide before are always fully supported by the church emotionally and also financially.

Many church pastors here take up degrees in Psychology and Rehabilitation.

They identify the problem and solve it.

We Hindus have to learn this.

We tend to be over judgmental and this leads to dire consequences.

 

[renuka]

Some points worth taking on board perhaps, but what is with the imitating Western style talking!! . Comes across as extremely cheesy!

Well said Dude! LOL

 

[renuka]

BTW one important point we have to remember that even in our Puranas suicide has also been mentioned about.

Remember Amba who commits suicide cos of her anger with Bhisma who does not marry her cos of his vow of celibacy?

Amba was reborn as Sikhandin.

There are 2 version of the story..some say she committed suicide and some authors do not talk about how she died and was reborn.

Even Sati system comes under suicide no matter what is said and done.

In fact at times it can be even be classified as murder cos some women were forced into committing Sati.

Suicidal tendencies are nothing really new to our soceity.

 

[renuka]

I have noted that sometimes those who have never seen failure in life can not handle failure well.
Some tops students have committed suicide even though they did not even fail exams cos if they did not get distinction other students or even their own teachers will taunt them "what happened to you?? why didn't you get the gold medal..you must be feeling real bad..how are you taking it?"

These days over motivation of children too increases risk for suicide cos life is tailored for only success and with no room for failure.
Out here even children aged 12 have committed suicide not becos they failed their exam but becos the got 4 A's and 1 B instead of 5 A's.

If we note in some of our Puranas at times a very average student or even below average student is always made fun of in the ashrama but this below average student somehow has guru bhakti and sattva guna and eventually gets blessed by the Guru.

The best example for this is Padmapada .He served Adi Shankara well even though he was not very intelligent to start with and eventually received blessings and enlightenment.
I feel we should have a Holistic approach in life and view a person for he/she is worth deep down inside.

I feel to a certain extent we parents need to know the strength and weakness of our own children and try to cultivate the field where the child might excel.

Comparing and contrasting with others should not be done.

Always leave some room for failure and rectify it.

 

[mkrishna100]

I have noted that sometimes those who have never seen failure in life can not handle failure well.
Some tops students have committed suicide even though they did not even fail exams cos if they did not get distinction other students or even their own teachers will taunt them "what happened to you?? why didn't you get the gold medal..you must be feeling real bad..how are you taking it?"

These days over motivation of children too increases risk for suicide cos life is tailored for only success and with no room for failure.
Out here even children aged 12 have committed suicide not becos they failed their exam but becos the got 4 A's and 1 B instead of 5 A's.

If we note in some of our Puranas at times a very average student or even below average student is always made fun of in the ashrama but this below average student somehow has guru bhakti and sattva guna and eventually gets blessed by the Guru.

The best example for this is Padmapada .He served Adi Shankara well even though he was not very intelligent to start with and eventually received blessings and enlightenment.
I feel we should have a Holistic approach in life and view a person for he/she is worth deep down inside.

I feel to a certain extent we parents need to know the strength and weakness of our own children and try to cultivate the field where the child might excel.

Comparing and contrasting with others should not be done.

Always leave some room for failure and rectify it.

Renukaji

This trend of people committing suicide for simple failures in life is on the increase here in India itself and this trend will continue .It has a deep reason and I will share it later as a separate post .Those who do not commit suicide go in to depression . The Current generation of Youngsters no doubt have a high IQ as they are in a wired world wide information network but have very poor EQ and this is causing a lot of stress to many parents as their kids are unable to handle even simple things once they move out of the house i.e during their college days or after they get married .I know of many Girls after Marriage still behave like Teenage girls and looking at their husbands only as an extension of their fathers and same is the case with Many boys . They have only physically grown up and not emotionally grown up .I will share about this aspect later in a separate post .

 

[Brahin]

Some points worth taking on board perhaps, but what is with the imitating Western style talking!! . Comes across as extremely cheesy!

Dear Amala we indians have tendency to blame everyone else expect ourself.we didnt even changed our old law which britishers made for us that suicide is crime infact we should be more human to them instead of saying that they did crime by taking there lives. whats use of that law if person is already dead or if he/ she failed in attempt than should we send him to jail because she/he did crime according to law.