World Suicide Prevention Day 09, Sept 10th at Bhavan's auditorium, Andheri(w), Mumbai
organised by Pallav Pandya, Bollywood lyricist and music arranger & Supported by AASRA
Johnson’s Speech
At the outset, I’d like to thank Mr Pallav Pandya for giving us this wonderful opportunity to promote the cause of suicide Prevention. He has made us this offer from the goodness of his heart and we are really very grateful to him.
Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Over the past few years 10th September has become synonymous with suicide prevention day and the world over there are activities being held to promote this cause. This function today is one such event.
It would be meaningless to espouse the cause of suicide prevention without understanding the act of suicide itself. Suicide is a leading cause of death for people worldwide, and one of the three leading causes of death for young people under 25. Every year, approximately one million people die by suicide - one death every two minutes. The World Health Organization estimates that by the year 2020, this annual toll of suicide deaths will have risen to one and half million, and suicide will represent 2.4% of the global burden of disease.
Suicide deaths account for more than half of all violent deaths in the world - more than all deaths from wars and homicides combined. Every year many millions more people make serious suicide attempts which while, they do not result in death, require medical treatment and mental health care, and reflect severe personal unhappiness or illness. Millions more people - the family members and close friends of those who die by suicide – are bereaved and affected by suicide each year, with the impact of this loss often lasting for a lifetime.
Suicide exacts huge psychological and social costs, and the economic costs of suicide to society (lost productivity, health and social care costs) are estimated at many billions of dollars each year. Because almost a quarter of suicides are teenagers and young adults aged less than 25 (250 000 suicides each year), suicide is a leading cause of premature death, accounting for more than 20 million years of healthy life lost. According to WHO suicide is now being recognized in the countries of south east asia as major public health problem in the complex scenario of development and lifestyle changes. “Cumulative research ,media reports and anecdoatal evidence over the past three decades reveal that suicides are an emerging epidemic the world over.”
India and Sri Lanka record the highest number of suicide rates in the region with 11 and 37 per 100,000 population respectively.
WHO says the threat of suicide should be taken seriously because those who commit suicide give early clues at some point . In India nearly 10 to 20 per cent of suicide victims had seen a physician a few days prior to the act.
Psychological Counsellor Neera Jain says, “Disintegration of the joint family has removed the support system for the individual at times of emotional and psychological crisis.”
“Unrealistic expectations put tremendous emotional, physical and psychological pressure on the individual. Suicide is not committed at the spur of the moment but is the culmination of long period of stress when a single act may trigger the person to take the final step. If a friend or some other person can reach out to him the moment is averted and the individual can be saved,”she adds.
According to NCRB , five states West Bengal followed by Maharashtra,Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka registered consistently higher number of suicidal deaths during the last few years and accounted for 10 per cent or more of the total suicides reported in the country during 2005-2007.
Poducherry reported the highest rate of suicide (48.6) followed by Andaman and Nicobar Islands (38.5) while the all India rate of suicides was 10.8 in 2007 compared to 10.5 during 2006.
Family problems and illness were two of the major causes for suicides accounting for more than 22 per cent of the suicides during the years 2005-2007, and the most preferred mode adopted in committing suicide was poisoning 35 per cent of cases followed by hanging 32 per cent of cases.
The WHO has suggested development of national suicide prevention strategies alongwith early implementation and evaluation.
SUICIDE IS PREVENTABLE
Causes of suicide: During the last three decades we have learned a great deal about the causes of this complex behavior. Suicide has biological, cultural, social and psychological risk factors. People from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds are at increased risk of suicidal behaviour. Childhood adversity and trauma, and various life stresses as an adult influence risks of suicidal behaviour. Serious mental illnesses, most commonly depression, substance abuse, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia, are associated with increased risk of suicide. Diminished social interaction increases suicide risk, particularly among adults and older adults. the pyschology of suicide victim is not so easy to figure out. The real reason for a suicide may be different from the immediate spark that propels a person to take his life. "It is only when a person has lost all hopes of being able to cope up with the reality that he takes his life,"
Suicide can be prevented. Despite its often complex origins, suicide can be prevented. Communities and societies that are well integrated and cohesive have fewer suicides. Restricting access to methods of suicide (such as firearms or pesticides) reduces suicides. Careful media reporting of suicide prevents further suicides. Educating communities and health and social services professionals to better identify people at risk of suicide, encourage them to seek help, and providing them with adequate, sustained and professional care can reduce suicides amongst people with mental illness. Providing adequate support for people who are bereaved by suicide can reduce their risk of suicide.
In fact today, The IASP(International Association for Suicide Prevention), WHO and other suicide prevention agencies around the world has requested all those who believe in and support this cause, let us all Light a Candle at 8 PM, to commemorate this very meaningful occasion.
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