Common Causes of Suicide

Suicide is a major health problem. Society feels it at regular intervals. Especially when a known person commits suicide. Same thing is happening again in India. Few days ago a known bollywood actor Sushantsinghrajput committed suicide. The whole media is buzzing with this sad news. Suicides happen every day but society and media remain calm. Most of people think this is a duty of government to stop suicide but this is half truth. We’ll discuss common causes of suicide and how to prevent suicide.

Suicide is considered a preventable death. Suicide is not an accident or it doesn’t happen accidentally. Person who commits suicide fights to survive.

Let’s take the common causes of suicide:

1. Depression
2. Substance abuse (Alcohol, cannabis, smack etc.)
3. Chronic health problem
4. Family history of suicide
5. Psychosis
6. Bipolar disorder
7. Sexual abuse
8. Stress (economic crisis, relationship issues, Failures)
9. Homosexuality
10. Physical abuse

We have to understand that these are the factors which make a person suicide prone. There are many more direct and indirect factors affecting people to commit suicide.

There are many myths related to suicide. Now we’ll see the myths related to suicide.

1. Suicide is a sign of personal weakness.
2. Suicide can’t be prevented
3. Suicide is a problem of higher income society.
4. Those who thunder don’t rain (जोगरजतेहैं, वोबरसतेनहीं). Most of the people who commit suicide give sings and indications before committing suicide but people think the opposite.
5. Suicide is not a health problem. So there is no need to seek Psychiatric or medical help.
6. Medicines don’t help in psychological problems because it is person’s choice to be happy or unhappy. If a person wants to choose free from depression, he can. But depression is not a choice. Depression is like any other health problem.
7. Medicines are addictive. Actually people don’t understand that some medicines are requirement of an I’ll person. If a person with chronic physical health problem (BP, rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriasis, Asthma etc) can take medicines for a longer duration, than why not a person with depression or other psychological problems!
8. Medicines are very costly.
9. Medicines are very harmful.
10. Patient with depression has to take medicines for lifetime.
11. Depression is matter of mind, depression doesn’t affect the whole body. This is very common myth for depression. Depression affects other systems too. Person’s sleep, sexual life, working capacity, appetite, blood pressure, immunity are also affected by depression.
12. Depression or psychological disorders are always genetic.
13. ECT electroconvulsive therapy is very dangerous and fatal procedure. People lose their memories permanently after ECT. Sometime patient may get worsened after ECT.

How to prevent suicide?

We have to understand that psychological disorders and  is suicide are rising day by day. So prevention of suicide and other psychological problems are the need of hour. Suicide

Prevention needs manifold steps.

Awareness regarding this grave problem. Problem doesn’t resolve by closing your eyes. Suicide is a very serious and rampant psychological health problem in our country. To prevent suicide and to help people around us, awareness regarding depression, suicide and other psychological problems is most important step. Until or unless people / society accept it as a health problem, it can’t be resolved. Denial of the problem is biggest problem. People with depression and Psychiatric problem deny even when they have moderate to severe grade illness. Sometimes patients accept their psychological problems but family members don’t accept their psychological problems. Sometimes this happens because of generation gap and lack of knowledge regarding psychological problems and depression among care givers of the person with depression.

Sometime care givers take situations lightly. They think their loved one is actually not in depression rather he /she is feigning or acting like a depressed person to seek their attention. Care givers often say that he / she doesn’t have any problems in personal life why would he suffer from depression or why would he commit suicide!

People don’t understand that depression or any other psychological problems have their neurochemical basis in brain. These disorders are endogenous. A person may be in depression without any external or social reason.

Many patients and their care givers seek supernaturaland superstitious treatment. This type of treatment gives immediate relief in some psychological symptoms but their results are short lastingso people keep trying again and again superstitious treatment with many faith healers.

Person with depression and suicidal thoughts must be taken care with extra precautions. Supervised medical treatment must be given even when patient is reluctant to take treatment.

Loneliness is not recommended for people with depression and suicidal thoughts. These people often ask to stay alone or stay in a closed space to avoid social interaction. Socialization is very important step. Socialization improves the activities in positive direction. Socialization reduces negative thoughts. If person with depression and suicidal thoughts is totally uncooperative than person must be hospitalized under Psychiatrist.

Dangerous instruments (razor, blade, rope, gun, poison etc) should be out of access of the person with depression and suicidal thoughts.

Never underestimate people with depression and suicidal thoughts. Anyone can commit suicide this is the rule of thumb. People/ society often underestimate youth, femalesregarding this serious health problem.

Person should refrain from addiction like alcohol, cannabis etc.

If there is family history of any psychological disorders, one should be cautious to detect early signs of depression and Psychiatric problem.

Sometime patient presents with atypical symptoms of depression and Psychiatric problem.

One has to be cautious when someone is either saying that life is worthless or person is meeting all family members and relatives to say goodbye or person is making his will regarding property or donating his belongings.

The most important step to prevent suicide is awareness in society and decriminalization of suicidal attempt. Because so many people attempt suicide daily but their reporting is not done due stigmatized view on mental health problems especially suicide attempt. It is paramount to consult a psychiatrist if someone is suffering from Psychiatric problem.