Aasra Suicide Prevention.This blog is about getting people to talk about their innermost feelings and emotions in times of distress and despair.All discussions are about the issue of suicide, mental health and it's effect on society. Aasra Helpline for the depressed and suicidal. 91-22-27546669(24x7)
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Accessibility training for NGO representing the Differently abled by Barrier Break technologies
Aasra Director,Chief trainer Johnson Thomas Trains Connecting volunteers, Pune
Facebook Help centre recognises AASRA as the India contact for Suicide Interventions/Prevention
https://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=103883219702654
Location Suicide Prevention Agency Information United States / Canada National Suicide Prevention Lifeline http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org 1 800 273 TALK (8255)
United Kingdom / Ireland Samaritans http://www.samaritans.org 08457 90 90 90 (UK) 1850 60 90 90 (Republic of Ireland) jo@samaritans.org
Germany Telefonseelsorge http://www.telefonseelsorge.de 0800 111 0 111 0800 111 0 222
Nummer gegen Kummer https://www.nummergegenkummer.de 0800 111 0 550 (adults) 0800 111 0 333 (children)
Australia Lifeline Australia http://www.lifeline.org.au 13 11 14
Belgium Centrum Ter Preventie Van Zelfdoding http://www.zelfmoordlijn.be 02/649 95 55
Brazil / Portugal CVV http://www.cvv.org.br atendimento@cvv.org.br
Denmark Livslinien http://www.livslinien.dk 70 201 201
Finland Finnish Association for Mental Health http://mielenterveysseura.fi 09 41350510 09 41350501
France S.O.S Amitié http://www.sos-amitie.org/
Hong Kong Samaritans http://www.help4suicide.com.hk http://www.sbhk.org.hk 2389 2222
India AASRA http://www.aasra.info 91-22-27546669 91-22-27546667 aasrahelpline@yahoo.com
Israel ERAN http://www.eran.org.il 09-8891333
Netherlands Foundation 113Online http://www.113online.nl 0900-113 0 113
New Zealand National Depression Initiative http://www.depression.org.nz http://www.thelowdown.co.nz 0800 111 757 SMS: 5626 team@thelowdown.co.nz
Youthline http://www.youthline.co.nz/ 0800 376633 SMS: 234 talk@youthline.co.nz parenttalk@youthline.co.nz
Norway Kirkens SOS http://www.kirkens-sos.no 815 33 300
South Africa The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) http://www.sadag.org/ 0800 567 567 SMS: 31393
South Korea HopeClick http://www.hopeclick.or.kr Visit website for hotline information
Spain Teléfono de la Esperanza http://telefonodelaesperanza.org/ 902500002
Switzerland Tel 143 - Die Dargebotene Hand http://www.143.ch 143
Taiwan Taiwan Suicide Prevention Center http://www.tspc.doh.gov.tw 0800 788 995
Other Countries Befrienders http://www.befrienders.org View list of suicide prevention hotlines from the drop-down menu at the top of the page
AASRA at Healthcare for Mumbai Roundtable discussion held at ORF,Mumbai
Monday, June 25, 2012
8 Mental Illnesses That Are More Common Than You Think
8 Mental Illnesses That Are More Common Than You Think
Everybody’s crazy. No really, everyone. While depression and anxiety disorders are the most treated mental illnesses in the United States, there are a host of lesser known issues that affect people in divergent ways. Whether you’re a sufferer yourself or know someone who is, always practice kindness when dealing with others — and check out these eight mental illnesses are more common than you think.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Everyone thinks of soldiers when they think of PTSD. But the paralyzing mental illness, characterized by reliving of past traumas to catatonic proportions, affects people from abused children to victims of terrorism and sexual assault. Common symptoms are hypervigilance, panic attacks, a comatose (or “blank” state), and excessive avoidance of certain areas or social situations. And it’s definitely more common than you think: while almost three quarters of adults have suffered a trauma, approximately 20% of those will suffer some form of PTSD.
Eating Disorders Eating disorders affect millions of Americans and countless others worldwide. Difficult to diagnose and often laborious to treat, eating disorders range from starvation (anorexia) to binge eating. It’s a problematic topic still rife with social stigma, and if you know someone who is afflicted, be sure to exercise compassion. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, more than half of sufferers also meet the diagnostic criteria for clinical depression, and 95% of sufferers are young people (between the ages of 12 and 26).
Phobias Next time someone calls you lazy, just tell them that you’ve got ergasiophobia. Phobias are more than just tics or irrational fears; they can be debilitating to those who suffer them. Phobias are rooted in anxiety and sometimes crop up as a coping response to trauma. (Remember your third birthday party? The one with the clown? That’s why you’re coulrophobic!) Like eating disorders, phobias also have a huge range. For example, agoraphobia is the fear of being outside or in open spaces, while claustrophobia is a fear of cramped and enclosed spaces. The most common phobias are fear of heights and public speaking, but there are a host of bizarre ones — with ithyphallophobia (fear of erections) and paraskavedekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th) topping the list.
Trichotillomania It’s commonly called the “hair pulling disorder,” and it’s more widespread than you’d ever think. Trichotillomania is a compulsion to twist or pull out body hair. Also rooted in anxiety and impulse control issues, what starts out as a nervous tic can soon become an embarrassment, both personally and professionally. Many sufferers have bald patches on their heads or elsewhere, and often elaborately disguise them to hide their illness. Treatment of this disorder is not easy, and the severity can range from mild to overwhelming. Most are embarrassed and downright ashamed, as their problem can be both obvious and unavoidable. Kindness and providing a nonjudgmental ear will go far in helping a suffering friend.
Paris Syndrome You’d think it would be common sense that what we see in magazines and media is an absolute mirage, and in no way representative of real life. But what you probably wouldn’t think is that this dissonance can cause a meltdown. Paris Syndrome is perhaps one of the most odd, culturally specific mental illnesses out there. Most commonly occurring in tourists from Japan, Paris Syndrome hits when a tourist has a legitimate mental breakdown when they visit the international city. Mental distress stems from the juxtaposition of Paris being a normal (albeit enchanting) city, and not representative of how it’s portrayed in mass media. Apparently, when some tourists learn that it’s not all supermodels and Eurotrash, there’s a sensory overload that has negative consequences. It may sound like a joke, but the problem is so devastating to some that the Japanese Embassy in France has set up a 24-hour hotline to provide support to those affected.
Foreign Accent Syndrome Foreign Accent Syndrome is exactly as it, well, sounds. Those affected by this disorder pronounce words in their native language with a foreign accent, and it’s often the result of head trauma (most commonly to the right side of the brain). Although this is a rare neurological disorder, it has some roots in mental illness (anxiety can be a factor), and is more common than you realize. It’s related to generalized anxiety disorder, and can also occur in stroke patients.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia isn’t necessarily all multiple personalities and Sybil. It’s a quite common mental illness and brain disorder with a range of symptoms and treatments, depending on severity. Broad symptoms include an inability to distinguish fantasy and reality, which can lead to aural or visual hallucinations in severe cases. Lack of emotion and expression are also symptoms, and the schizophrenic can also suffer cognitive symptoms, like memory loss.
Diogenes Syndrome Ever seen Hoarders? Diogenes Syndrome, more correctly called Senile Squalor Syndrome (Diogenes was a true minimalist), is a form of compulsive hoarding and extreme self-neglect that affects many senior citizens. While hoarding is ageless, frontal lobe deterioration is a factor that makes the syndrome worse in elderly adults. With this syndrome, the affected will live in domestic squalor, and continually insist that they are doing OK. It’s an extremely sad state of affairs, and help is available — but even with therapy, this mental illness can be persistent in its most affected class of sufferers.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
CBT fails in Sweden
“…the official journal for Swedish social workers, reported the results of the government’s two billion Swedish crown investment in CBT. The widespread adoption of the method has had no effect whatsoever on the outcome of people disabled by depression and anxiety. Moreover, a significant number of people who were not disabled at the time they were treated with CBT became disabled, costing the government an additional one billion Swedish crowns. Finally, nearly a quarter of those who started treatment, dropped out, costing an additional 340 million!”
This is probably the only unbiased study of CBT, not corrupted by financial or other considerations.
Read the report here: http://goo.gl/m1eUo
Friday, June 22, 2012
Latest Suicide Statistics of India, from a national study published in The Lancet
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first national study of deaths in India, published in The Lancet. Authored by Prof Vikram Patel, London School of Hygeine and Tropical Medicine. The southern states Andhra pradesh Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and kerala, home to 22% of the Indian population, account for 42% suicides in men and 40% among women in India. They account for 80,100 of 1.86 lakh victims aged 15 and above in 2010. Maharashtra and West Bengal together account for 15% of such deaths. Andhra pradesh registered 28,000 deaths among 15 years and above age group, Tamil nadu recorded 24,000, and Maharashtra 19,000. Delhi had the lowest suicide rate. The average age of women killing themselves was 25 years and of men it was 34 years. Suicide is the second biggest killer among youth in India. of the total suicides by individuals aged 15 and above, those under 29 accounted for 40% deaths in men and 56% in women. It's also set to overtake maternal mortality as leading cause of death among women in the country. Suicide rates are much higher in rural parts than urban. The educated are at a much higher risk. The risk of suicide was 43% higher for men who have finished secondary or higher education compared to those who had not completed primary education. Among women the risk of suicide increased by 90%. 1.87 lakh individuals ended their lives by suicide in 2010. 49% were men and 44% were women. Hanging was the most common method while burns accounted for 1/6th of the suicides by women. More Men commit suicide than women. Violence and depression are key determinants in suicides by women. Suicides claim twice as many lives as HIV/AiDS, almost as many as maternal deaths among young women. It also kills as many indian men aged 15-29 as accidents. Much Needed- mental health promotions amongst school kids, crisis counselling vserices and servicces for treatment of depression and alcohol abuse. ----------------------------------------------
Four of India's southern states — Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnakata and Kerala — that together constitute 22% of the country's population recorded 42% of suicide deaths in men and 40% of self-inflicted fatalities in women in 2010. Maharashtra and West Bengal together accounted for an additional 15% of suicide deaths. Delhi recorded the lowest suicide rate in the country. In absolute numbers, the most suicide deaths in individuals, aged 15 years or older, were in AP (28,000), Tamil Nadu (24,000) and Maharashtra (19,000). The first national study of deaths in India, published in the British Medical journal The Lancet on Friday, says that suicide has become the second-leading cause of death among the young in India. Of the total deaths by suicide in individuals aged 15 years or older, about 40% suicide deaths in men and about 56% in women occurred in individuals aged 15-29 years. Suicide deaths occurred at younger ages in women (average age 25 years) than in men (average age 34 years). Educated persons were at greater risk of completing a suicide. The risk of completing a suicide was 43% higher in men, who finished secondary or higher education, in comparison to those who had not completed primary education. Among women, the risk increased to 90%. Lead author of the study Professor Vikram Patel of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told TOI that the 1.87 lakh people committed suicide in India in 2010. About half of suicide deaths (49% among men, and 44% among women) were due to poisoning, mainly ingesting of pesticides. Hanging was the second most common cause for men and women, while burns accounted for about one-sixth of suicides by women. Professor Patel felt that with the decline in maternal death rates, suicide could soon become the leading cause of death among young women in India. The study says the National Crime Records Bureau underestimates suicide deaths in men by at least 25% and women (36%). He told TOI, "Overall, more Indian men commit suicide than women, but the male to female ratio for suicides is smaller in India than in many Western countries, in particular among youth. Studies have suggested that social factors such as violence and depression are key determinants of suicide in women." Prof Patel pointed out to lack of national strategy for suicide prevention in India. He said, "Suicides can be prevented through interventions like banning the most toxic pesticides and teaching rural communities on safe storage of pesticides. India should also start mental health promotion for young people through schools and colleges and introduce crisis counseling services and services for treatment of depression and alcohol addiction." Prof Patel added that although much of the current concern about suicides has focused on agricultural workers, over three in four suicide deaths in India occur in other occupational groups (including those who are unemployed and homemakers). "Compared to most other countries, suicide rates are especially high in young adults and, in particular, young women for whom suicide rates in India are four to six times higher than in developed countries. The suicide rates vary 10-fold between states with the highest rates in the southern states of India," he added. Suicide deaths among men were almost 11-times higher in Maharashtra as compared to Delhi. When it came to women, it was four times higher in Maharashtra than Delhi. The study says the age standardized suicide death rate per 100,000 people at all ages was 18.6 for boys and men and 12.7 for girls and women. 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. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Suicide-may-soon-be-leading-cause-of-death-in-India-reveals-study/articleshow/14329046.cms __._,_.___
Monday, June 18, 2012
UN launches new tool to protect people with mental health conditions
16-June-2012
The United Nations health agency on Friday launched a new tool to help countries protect the rights and dignity of people with mental health conditions and stop abuses against them. NEW YORK : The Quality Rights Tool Kit is designed to ensure that quality of care and human rights standards are put in place in mental health and social care facilities around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a news release.“Poor quality services and human rights violations in mental health and social care facilities are still an everyday occurrence in many places, especially in low- and middle-income countries,” said the Director of WHO’s Department of Mental Healthand Substance Abuse, Shekar Saxena.“Decrepit buildings, overcrowding and unhygienic living conditions are a reality for many people living in psychiatric institutions,” Saxena added. “In many facilities, people are exposed to violence, abuse, harmful treatment and neglect. Many are locked up against their will, overmedicated, put in seclusion cells or restrained, sometimes for years.”The Tool Kit is based on the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the 2006 treaty that seeks to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the same human rights as everyone else.
It establishes key standards that need to be met in all facilities, including the need for living conditions to be safe and hygienic and the social environment to be conducive to recovery; the provision of evidence-based care for their mental and physical healthcondition, on the basis of free and informed consent; and reporting and halting all inhuman treatment.
“The Tool Kit has been developed with major inputs from people from civil society organizations which specialize in mental and psychosocial disabilities, as well as other mental health and human rights experts, which is why it is so comprehensive and practical,” said Michelle Funk, who led the WHO team which developed theTool Kit.
“It can be applied in low-, middle- and high-resource settings. It is unique because it can be implemented in both inpatient and outpatient facilities and allows for a comparison between mental health and general health care services,” Funk added.
Along with setting up standards, the Tool Kit provides specific guidance on how to conduct a comprehensive assessment of services, how to report findings and make appropriate recommendations to improve quality of care and human rights at the health facility and at national level. It is part of a larger WHO QualityRights project to improve the quality of mental health care and human rights conditions in mental health and social care facilities.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Article about Aasra's activities on world suicide prevention day Sept 10, 2011, in Mumbai Mirror
World Suicide Prevention Day
This year on World Prevention day some organisations like Asara and Vandrevela Foundation who are working towardsdealing with suicide prevention and awareness activities are organising seminars, presentations and other programmes to spread awareness about suicide. Their message is common: support, love and care for the person and help him find a new life again Elsie Gabriel Posted On Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 01:22:54 PM The number one cause of suicide is untreated depression. Healthy people do not kill themselves. Depression can alter a person's thinking, so they don't think rationally. They may not know they can be helped. Their illness can cause thoughts of hopelessness and helplessness, which may lead to suicidal thoughts. In order to prevent suicides it is critical to recognize the warning signs of depression. There are several organizations and counselors ready to help. Every year, Aasra, an organisation dealing with suicide prevention and awareness activities works towards spreading awareness about suicide in a special way on this special day. This year they are organizing a workshop on September 10 at Aasra, New Mumbai and at Vaze college, Mulund. Aasra’s director Johnson Thomas has been involved in the work of suicide prevention for the last fourteen years. He will be making a presentation on suicide prevention for the event. He says, “At some point in life, several of us happen to have suicidal thoughts. So we should understand the cause. It is also about the mind-body connection. Therefore we are having several workshops related to the topic. You can call us on 27546667 or 9820466726 .” On an average almost 3000 people commit suicide everyday. For every person who commits a suicide, 20 or more may attempt to end their lives. (WHO report 2011). Vandrevala Foundation at Powai for the last two years has been actively involved in awareness campaigns for suicide prevention. The foundation was started by Priya Hiranandani and Cyrus Vandrevala who wanted to have a 24 hour helpline for people suffering from sucidal thoughts and other mental health problems. Dr Arun John, executive vice president, Vandrevala Foundation at Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, says, “For those who are contemplating to end their life, we run a 24x7 helpline with all India connectivity, manned by trained psychologists and psychiatrists who have successfully thwarted many such attempts and led people safely to be united with their loved ones. The person contemplating suicide often knows he needs help but does not know where to get it – this is the gap we fill. We have a simply motive: if you think no one cares – we care. If you are suffereing from depression or stress all you have to do is call us on 022 2570 6000 or 1860 266 2345 .You can also mail to us at help@vandrevalafoundation.com.” There is still a stigma associated with this illness which prevents public education and early treatment for sufferers. The topic of suicide has always been a taboo. More and more people are willing to seek help but feel helpless, therefore you can always encourage someone to seek it. The social stressors associated with suicide are loneliness, rejection, and marital conflicts in developed countries, whereas research states that inter-generational conflicts, love failure, and exam failure are found in developing countries. Know the symptoms and provide help: It can be very frightening to hear a friend or loved one say they want to die. Even to hear a complete stranger say these words is hard. But, not every suicidal person will actually make the statement that he or she wants to die. Some clues that the person may be contemplating suicide may include: Deepening despair in which the person becomes uncommunicative and withdrawn Talking or joking about suicide Making statements about being reunited with a deceased loved one Talking about experiencing feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness Suddenly more contented, or more at peace. If the person is emerging from a disabling period out of depression, he may now have the energy to end life Risk-taking behaviour (reckless driving/excessive speeding, carelessness around bridges, cliffs or balconies, or walking in front of traffic). Also close calls or brushes with death While this list is not all-inclusive, it can provide general clues to the suicidal individual's mindset. If he or she knows that the pain may stop, that there is hope, he or she may then choose life. Urge them to seek professional help as soon as possible. Listen to them without trying to be judgmental. Allow the person to share with you. This will not only help you in preventing the person from going through with their plan at hand, it will provide the information that you will need to share with the professionals who may need to help your friend or loved one. Do not try to challenge or dare the person to go through with the act thinking that it will scare him/her out of the idea. Avoid trying to offer quick solutions or belittling the person. Do not hesitate to contact the authorities. Keep them talking so that they will reduce the emotional burden they are carrying. One of the most important aspects of suicide prevention is support. The most important uplifting emotion you can share is love and comfort and you can help that person find new life again.So reach out and help save a life if you can. Sources: The Times of Mulund-Powai
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Wikipedia recognises Aasra as India's crisis line for suicide prevention
Organization
Australia Lifeline is a 24-hour nationwide service that provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services.[4] http://www.lifeline.org.au/ Kids Help Line is a 24-hour nationwide service that provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and counselling services for Australians aged 5-25 http://www.kidshelp.com.au/grownups/about-this-site.php
Canada The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline based in the United States is also available nationwide in Canada it is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.[5] http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Default.aspx
Kids Help Phone is a nationwide 24-hour, toll-free, confidential crisis line and counselling service available to Canadians under the age of twenty http://org.kidshelpphone.ca/en
The Native Youth Crisis Hotline is a nationwide suicide prevention call line that serves Native American and Alaskan native youth in the United States and Aboriginal youth in Canada. The crisis line is maintained by the Native American advocacy group, Women of Nations. http://www.women-of-nations.org/
India AASRA is a registered charity in Maharashtra state India and is part of Befrienders International/Worldwide. The English language organization is aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in distress or at risk of suicide in Maharashtra 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. http://www.aasra.info
Ireland Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in distress or at risk of suicide throughout Ireland http://www.samaritans.org/
New Zealand Lifeline Aotearoa provides support, information and resources to people at risk of suicide, family and friends affected by suicide and people supporting someone with suicidal thoughts and/or suicidal behaviours. http://www.lifeline.co.nz/
United Kingdom Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in distress or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom[6] http://www.samaritans.org/
PAPYRUS is an acronym of the charity's original name: the Parents Association for the Prevention of Young Suicide - now abbreviated to PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide http://www.papyrus-uk.org/ England Campaign Against Living Miserably is a registered charity[7] based in England. It was launched in March 2006 as a campaign aimed at bringing the suicide rate down among men aged 15–35.[8] http://www.thecalmzone.net/
South Africa Lifeline offers crisis counselingis a nationwide organization that provide crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. http://www.lifeline.org.za/contactus.php.html
United States The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.[9][10] http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Default.aspx
The Veterans Crisis Line is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to United States military personnel both active-duty and veterans, in suicidal crisis or emotional distress[11] http://veteranscrisisline.net/
The Trevor Project is a nationwide organization that provide crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.[12] http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
The Native Youth Crisis Hotline is a nationwide suicide prevention call line that serves Native American and Alaskan native youth in the United States and Aboriginal youth in Canada. The hotline is maintained by the Native American advocacy group, Women of Nations.[13]http://www.women-of-nations.org/
Monday, June 11, 2012
June 2012 Suicides
BHOPAL: The vantage point on the VIP road in the state capital, along the statue of Raja Bhoj in Upper lake from where the city's landscape and sunrise and sunset are a treat to watch, has earned a dubious distinction of being the 'suicide point'. The bridge close to the statue of Raja Bhoj on the Upper lake is the spot from where maximum number of suicides have been reported in the past few years. As many as eight people have jumped to death from the place in the last six months and the figure is feared to go up further by the year ends. In the year 2010, a total of 10 people committed suicide from there. Suicide numbers rose to 12 in 2011. The city police have also sent a missive to the BMC asking the civic body to put up 10 feet high grills on both sides of the VIP road to prevent people from scaling it. The additional superintendent of police Rajesh Mishra confirmed to TOI that a letter has been written to the corporation around a week back. "We have asked for installation of grills from Retghat to the Raja Bhoj statue. It must be in process", he added. Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials claim to have started a process to install iron mesh all along the lake side on the VIP road where the water is deep.
Student commits suicide in Delhi IANS Jun 10, 2012, 07.46PM IST
Nitin, a resident of Lucknow was found hanging around 5.40pm Saturday at his rented accommodation in south Delhi's Naraina. He was pursuing a fashion design course from a private institute in the capital.
MBA student commits suicide in Hyderabad TNN Jun 9, 2012, 02.04AM IST
HYDERABAD: An MBA student was found dead in mysterious circumstances in Hanamkonda on Friday. While family members and relatives of Vijaya said they suspect the role of the hostel warden, the private hostel authorities said she committed suicide by hanging herself to the ceiling in her room. The girl had been staying in the hostel since a year. Vijaya was a native of Mutharam village in Manthani mandal in Karimnagar district. Her relatives staged a dharna demanding action against the hostel warden. They alleged that the warden was harassing Vijaya.
Army jawan commits suicide in Kashmir 08 Jun 2012An Army jawan has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir. Mother with two children commit suicide in UP
08 Jun 2012A 35-year-old woman committed suicide by jumping into a well along with her two young children allegedly over family problem in Nai Gaon village, under Mehnagar police station area of Uttar Pradesh.
Cancer patient commits suicide in Indore 07 Jun 2012A 65-year-old man undergoing treatment for cancer on Thursday killed himself by jumping from the second floor of the Gita Bhawn hospital here, police said.
23 years old man commits suicide in central Delhi 06 Jun 2012A 23-year-old man, pursuing a course in IGNOU and preparing for competitive exams, allegedly committed suicide in his central Delhi residence, police said.
Woman commits suicide at Delhi metro station 04 Jun 2012A 31-year-old woman committed suicide by jumping on the track at the Tilak Nagar Metro station at New Delhi Monday, officials said.
Disgruntled volunteer at Anna fast tries to commit suicide 03 Jun 2012A "disgruntled" volunteer of Team Anna on Sunday attempted self-immolation at the fast site of Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev alleging that he was mistreated by prominent members of India Against Corruption.
Punjab: Wife of police officer commits suicide 03 Jun 2012The newly wed wife of a senior Punjab police officer on Saturday allegedly committed suicide at their official accommodation here.
Student suicide over education loan: Bank manager surrenders 04 Jun 2012A private bank manager surrendered before police on Monday in connection with the suicide of a 20-year-old nursing student, who allegedly committed suicide in April after the bank denied her education loan.
Woman jumps in front of metro train 04 Jun 2012A young woman allegedly committed suicide by jumping in front of a train at a metro station in west Delhi Monday morning.
Community initiative curtails suicide rates in Mumbai 20 Dec 2011Kumbharwada, a hamlet of potters in Mumbai's Dharavi slums, suffered from a very high rate of suicides some three decades ago. Men, women, young boys and girls or even senior citizens would just walk to the nearby railway tracks and end their lives seemingly at the slightest provocation.
Four of family commit suicide in Madhya Pradesh 01 Jun 2012A farmer along with his wife and two children committed suicide by lying down on the railway track, police said on Friday.
Armed forces Suicides, NCRB 2010 data
A report by the National Crime Record Bureau shows that in the year 2010, 168 men ended their lives everyday. Vicky Nanjappa reports. If one were to go by the report released by the National Crime Records Bureau, it seems that in the year 2010, men in India [ Images ] were the weaker sex. In other words, more husbands committed suicide than wives. Statistics reveal that last year 61,453 married men committed suicide in India while the number of married women who committed suicide was almost half, 31,754. The statistics was only slightly better for 2009. That year, NCRB statistics show, 58,192 husbands killed themselves as compared to 31,300 wives. The NCRB is a wing of the ministry of home affairs. Going by its report for the last two years, the suicide rate among men has gone up by 5.6 per cent while that among women has risen by 1.4 per cent. An analysis of the suicide data shows that every 8.5 minutes a man commits suicide somewhere in India. In other words, in 2010, 168 men killed themselves every day. The rate of death for the male is higher in other areas like accidental deaths as well, the NCRB data shows. In 2010 the overall death rate among men was higher than that for women. In the age group below 14 years, 1640 died either due to suicide or accidents, with the corresponding figure for girls being 1490. In the 15-29 age group, 26,387 men died from suicide and accidents compared to 21,238 women. However, it is in the 30-44 age group where the statistics turns grim for men: 30,444 victims against 14,402 women. In the 45-59 age group too the statistics is similar, 20,768 men against 7,121 women. Virag Dhulia, a men's activist from Bengaluru [ Images ] who runs several 'save the male' campaigns, explains that despite the efforts of groups like his, the message is falling on deaf ears, and blames what he calls "unfair laws targetting men" for this statistic. "The whole issue is because men are subject to inhuman and unconstituional laws such as Section 498 A of the Indian Penal Code wherein an uninvestigated complaint by a wife against her husband and his family can land the entire family in jail or the Domestic Violence Act, wherein the husband can even lose his hard-earned property owing to a simple complaint of domestic violence, even without a fair trial," he says. "Under Section 304B, the husband's entire family can be put behind bars without trial or investigation if the wife dies an unnatural death within seven years of marriage," Dhulia adds. "Then there is Section 125 of the CrPC under which the husband is treated as a free ATM to pay maintenance to his wife irrespective of fault." "No man wishes to end his life but he is left with little option when all he sees around himself are expectations from him and a complete reluctance to accept his limitations," states Dhulia. Vicky Nanjappa in Bengaluru
Alarming rise in Student Suicides (2010), 15 people commit suicide every hour in India (2011)
Sun, Feb 07, 2010 The New Paper
Worry over high student suicide rate in India EDUCATORS in India are worried over an increasing figure - that of the rising suicide rate among adolescents. Its main cause? The pressure to do well in school, said a Times of India (TOI) report. And the pressure is not from teachers but from parents,the report added. India has one of the highest suicide rates in the world and recent studies suggest about 40 percent are adolescents. At least 125 people aged 29 years or below are committing suicide every day and 51 per cent of the total suicide victims are graduates, college students or younger. In several cases, students commit suicide after failing exams, according to local newspaper reports. In Mumbai alone, 25 students have taken their lives since beginning of the year, leaving parents, teachers and officials struggling to understand the reason behind the deaths. High marks, college admissions Mr Mahesh Poddar is one such grieving parent as his daughter, Mini, committed suicide in 2001 when she was 15 years old. She was distraught about college admissions and had just missed out on getting into the college of her choice. Union human resource minister Kapil Sibal said that the sudden spike in suicides among students is a result of the growing parental pressures on the child to beat his peers, said TOI. In many cases, the trigger appears to be academic pressure, said a report in CNN. India's education system is based on rote learning, or memorisation, with a strong emphasis on scoring high marks. Authorities are organising counselling sessions, said MrSanjay Kumar, education secretary of Maharashtra state, in which Mumbai is located. The suicides were a wake-up call for educators, said Mrs Sangeeta Srivastava, principal of Sardar Vallabhai Patel Vidyala, a government school in North Mumbai. Though none of the recent suicide cases in the city involved students from her school, she is worried. Recently, a student from her school ran away from home before exams. She said: "As teachers, we have a lot of effect on the students, even more than parents have." This article was first published in The New Paper. ------------------------
NDTV updates,
New Delhi: Fifteen suicides take place every hour in India and a majority (69.2 per cent) of the suicide victims are married while 30.8 per cent un-married, according to latest government statistics. One suicide out of every 5 is committed by a housewife, said the statistics released today in the form of a report. "It is observed that social and economic causes have led most of the males to commit suicide whereas emotional and personal causes have mainly driven females to end their lives," the report, released by Home Minister P Chidambaram, said. Over 41 percent of suicide victims were self-employed while only 7.5 per were un-employed. More than one lakh persons (1,34,599) in the country lost their lives by committing suicide during the year 2010 and nearly 70.5 per cent of the suicide victims were married males while 67.0 per cent were married females, according to the report of the National Crime Record Bureau for 2010. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh accounted for 65.8 per cent of suicide victims in the age group 60 years and above. Suicides because of 'family problems' (23.7 per cent) and 'illness' (21.0 per cent) combined accounted for 44.7 per cent of total suicides, said the report. The percentage of suicides due to 'property dispute' and 'death of dear person' showed a relatively higher increase of 48.0 per cent and 28.9 per cent respectively. The overall male:female ratio of suicide victims for the year 2009 was 65:35. However, the proportion of boys:girls suicide victims (up to 14 years of age) was 52:48. Among 25 cities, Jabalpur has reported the highest rate of 41.5 and Kolkata reported the lowest rate at 2.1. The pattern of suicides reported from 35 cities showed that 'hanging' (44.5 per cent), 'poisoning' (20.6 per cent) and 'fire/self-immolation' (12.6 per cent) were the means used the suicide victims in the cities. There is a significant increase in the number of suicides (136.5 per cent) in Patna (from 63 in 2009 to 149 in 2010) while Dhanbad showed a sharp decline of 60.5 per cent (from 152 suicides in 2009 to 60 suicides in 2010). The suicide rate in cities (12.7) was higher as compared to All-India suicide rate (11.4). Tamil Nadu has reported significant increase in suicides (16,561) in 2010 over 2009 (14,424) (an increase of 14.8 per cent) followed by Maharashtra (from 14,300 in 2009 to 15,916 in 2010), the report said. The highest number of mass/family suicides cases were reported from Bihar (23) followed by Kerala (22) and Madhya Pradesh (21) and Andhra Pradesh (20), out of 109 cases. 33.1 per cent of the suicide victims consumed poison, 31.4 per cent died by hanging, 8.8 per cent by fire/self-immolation and 6.2 per cent by drowning. The trend of suicide by hanging has been mixed during last three years (32.2 per cent in 2008, 31.5 per cent in 2009 and 31.4 per cent in 2010) while suicide by poisoning has shown decreasing trend in 2007 and 2008 (34.8 per cent in 2008, 33.6 per cent in 2009 and 33.1 per cent in 2010). Bengaluru (1,778), Chennai (1,325), Delhi (1,242) and Mumbai (1,192) the four cities together have reported almost 40.5 per cent of the total suicides reported from 35 mega cities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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1. In 2006, 5,857 students — or 16 a day — committed suicide across India due to exam stress. And these are just the official figures [Source: TOI, March 2008, Report] 2. The study (conducted 10 years back) had found that 16 per cent of Mumbai students were depressed - that is 2 per cent more than the students in Boston. It also found that 8 percent of these were suicidal. 3. Today, 10 years later, researchers say things could be worse. - Statistics show that India has the highest suicide rate in the world, marginally behind China, but ahead of the west - 95-100 people commit suicide in India every day - And of these a whopping 40% are in the adolescent age group [Source: CNN-IBN Report, Jan 13 2010] 4. Crime Records Bureau figures show India’s suicide rate has risen 8 per cent a year for 10 years. According to a 2007 estimate, 45 per cent of suicides involve people between 15 and 29. And WHO lists suicide among the top three causes of death in the age group 15-35. 5. The motive when students kill themselves is invariably academic pressure - this accounts for 99 per cent suicides in the age group 12-18 - but psychiatrists sought to assess why the trend has risen of late and put it down to three reasons: deprivation of sunshine, exam results, and the copycat syndrome. 6. Distressed teenagers account for 70 per cent of the phone calls to a helpline run by NGO Aasra, says founder Johnson Thomas. [Source: Express India, Jan 10 2010] 7. The leading mental health institution in India, the National Institute of Mental Health and Mental Sciences in Bengaluru, has been involved in several studies to understand why the rates of people taking their own lives, particularly younger people, are on the rise. 8. In the last formal study conducted in 2007, the Institute found that 122,637 people ended their own lives and for every successful act, it estimated that 8-10 attempts go unreported. 9. Nearly three-fourths of those taking their own lives were aged 16-45 years. 10. Bengaluru topped the list of cities where the largest number had taken place, followed by Chennai. In New Delhi data collected from 1,205 adolescents (aged 12-19 years) in two schools revealed that, on average, one in seven adolescents had thought about ending their life. 11. A lack of methods to help identify youngsters at risk further hinders prevention efforts. [Source: Guardian, Jan 28 2010] 12. Since the start of 2010, more than 20 students have killed themselves in Mumbai, India’s financial capital [Source: Asia News, Jan 19 2010]
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The morbid story of suicides in India
Mon Jun 4, 2012 11:48 pm (PDT)
The morbid story of suicides in India....Amitendu Palit & Pratima Singh More affluent states are seeing increasing numbers of suicides. Also, suicides in the informal sector, ignored so far, are the highest India's tryst with economic globalisation began firmly from the 1990s onwards. The last two decades have witnessed major changes in the organisation of production in different industries as well as changes in the nature of economic institutions. During this period, the trend pattern of suicides in the country has also shown considerable variation (Figure 1) with a fluctuating trend during the 1990s being replaced by a firm upward trajectory in the last decade. The trend growth rate in suicides was quite volatile during the 1990s with the y-o-y growth ranging from -1.8% to 9.3%, showing variations of more than 10 percentage points. The volatility became less during the 2000s with the range cramping from -0.1% to 5.9% at a dispersion band of around six percentage points. The emergence of a steady positive trend during the last decade indicates that the overall growth pattern in suicides in India has become more stable and steadily increased over time.
State-wise disaggregated profiles Figure 3 shows the aggregate suicides in 14 major states of India during 1991-2010 decomposed into the sub-periods 1991-2000 and 2001-2010. The 14 states are those with at least a 1% share in total suicides (combined suicides of 25 states excluding Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal and also the seven union territories). These 14-Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal-are the key 'suicide' states in the country, accounting for 97.6% of total suicides during 1991-2010 and 97.7% and 97.5% of total suicides during 1991-2000 and 2001-2010, respectively. West Bengal recorded the highest number of suicides (276,431; 13.7%) during the last two decades, followed by Maharashtra (264,303; 13.1%) and Tamil Nadu (226,077; 11.2%). Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh each account for more than 10% of total suicides and are ranked 4th and 5th. Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa are ranked from 6th to 10th, respectively. Decadal comparisons show West Bengal's share in total suicides reduced from 14.5% in 1991-2000 to 13.1% during 2001-2010. On the other hand, shares of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan, Orissa, Gujarat and Karnataka have increased, with the increases for the last three being marginal. The most substantive increases are for Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Andhra's share in total suicides increased by 2.3 percentage points between the two decades, while those of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have increased by 1.4 and 0.7 percentage points respectively (Figure 1). There are some states whose shares in total suicides have declined. These include (other than West Bengal), Assam, Bihar, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh show substantive drops of 1.8 and 1.9 percentage points, respectively, in their shares. Declines in shares of Kerala and Bihar have also been substantive, while that of Assam is marginal (Figure 3). Interestingly, states whose shares in total suicides have increased during the last decade, include those which are recognised as the better economic performers. Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana and Karnataka are India's more prosperous states, with their per capita incomes higher than the all-India average. The gaps between per capita incomes of these states and the national average per capita income are enlarging over time, showing that these states are pulling ahead of the rest. Rajasthan and Orissa are the only two states with increasing shares in total suicides whose per capita incomes from the national average are falling behind over time. States experiencing reductions in shares in total suicides-Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal-have per capita incomes lower than the national average and are less prosperous, with their income gaps from the richer states becoming larger over time. Kerala is a rare state whose share in suicides has reduced in spite of its per capita income being higher than the national average.
State-wise suicides: the occupational dimension
Suicide victims have been recorded in the NCRB statistics according to their occupations since 1996. These include: housewife, service (government), service (private), public sector undertaking (PSU), student, unemployed, self-employed (business), self-employed (professional), self-employed (farming/agriculture), self-employed (others), retired persons and 'others'. The present analysis excludes housewives, retired persons and 'others', clubs service (government) and PSU in one category and reports trends in shares of suicides in total suicides (aggregate of 14 states in Figure 3 for eight occupational categories (Figure 2). The share of self-employed (others) is highest (32.5%) followed by self-employment (farming/agriculture) at 18.2%, service (private) at 12.0% and unemployed (10.0%) for the year 2010. The NCRB statistics do not define which specific self-employment occupations are included in 'others'. Intuitively, however, with the self-employed in business, professional and agriculture reported separately, the 'others' would be those not classifiable in these three and should cover occupations mostly in the informal sector. Indeed, it is important to note that share of suicide victims in self-employed (others) has always been higher than the corresponding share of self-employed (farming), except for 1996. It is also noteworthy that the rising trend in share of farmer suicides has given way to a steadily declining trend from 2004 onward. From 24.6% of total suicides in 2004, the share of farmers' suicides has reduced to 18.2% in 2010. On the other hand, the share of self-employed (others) has been steadily increasing and has grown to 32.5% from 21.6% in 1996. However, it must be noted that self-employment (farming/agriculture) includes only farmers or cultivators owning land. Agricultural labourers and landless farmers do not figure in this category and could well be included in the self-employed (others) group. Thus, while share of self-employed (farming) is reducing it might be erroneous to conclude that farmer suicides are genuinely declining as fast. Attention over suicides in India has focused almost entirely on farmer's suicides. However, it is clear that suicides in informal sector are becoming increasingly large. These suicides are taking place in a broad-based manner across the country and are the main reason behind India's overall suicide rate showing a steadily increasing trend. It is sad that neither the authorities, nor the academia and civil society have yet agitated over high suicides in the informal sector. Is this because the informal sector is not a political constituency? Dr Amitendu Palit and Ms Pratima Singh are visiting senior research fellow, and research associate, respectively, at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) in the National University of Singapore (NUS). The authors can be reached at isasap@nus.edu.sg and isasps@nus.edu.sg
URL: http://www.financialexpress.com/news/the-morbid-story-of-suicides-in-india/956826/0
Monday, June 4, 2012
Aasra's very first donation box placed at Java Green ,kharghar
Interns from IEIBS college, near dmart, Koparkhairane
This was a particularly useless bunch who vanished without doing anything and did not even have to inform us! I am really dissapointed and Aasra has decided to blacklist this college and it's students, disallowing them from coming as intern future. for the near
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