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Monday, September 5, 2016

To commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day Sept 10th, Aasra Director Johnson Thomas answers questions on youth Suicides


1. What are the latest trends that you see with regards to suicides in India? Does the youth form a major part of it?Would you say that there is a rise in youth suicides in recent times? Suicides among youth(students mainly) have jumped to about 4 times the normal rate in the past decade. Family problems were blamed for 24 pc of the suicides, illness for 19.6 pc, drug abuse for 3.4 pc and love affairs for 3.3 pc( as per NCRB data). Even in Kota, the entry level coaching education hub for a seat in a professional course post 12th , there have been a spate of suicides in the recent past touching around 35-40 suicides in a matter of a few months. This is unprecedented. It's also said that for every suicide that has been reported there are at least 8 to 16 attempts ( not leading to death) that go unreported. Add to that the rising graph of farmer suicides So the suicide problem is huge. As per the International Association for Suicide Prevention and WHO the high risk group for suicide (all over the world) is the 15 to 34 age group. So you can see that youth form the major suicide trend in India and the world.

2. Generally speaking, what drives the youth to suicide? Briefly, what factors contribute towards this rise? We are a country in transition because of globalisation. As a result our desires and wants have increased so quickly that society ( both socially and culturally) has been unable to prepare us for accepting that change with grace. Our protective systems like the joint family system, social set-ups, family bonding, interpersonal interactions and our dependence on religion have all been affected by our greater reliance on technology and communication machines. The cognitive development of today's generation has been hampered by materialism, instant gratification and reliance on multiple medias.Also our parenting patterns have changed for the worst. Aspirations have taken centre stage and parents are much more interested in giving their children all the benefits that they themselves were denied without really teaching their kids how to face denial and rejection in a healthy manner. So kids or youth of today have become instant consumers who prefer to achieve all their hearts desire without working hard enough for the eventual prize. or even if they work hard it's only for short spells. They are unable to sustain consistency or deal with pressure situations and lack all round resilience. This results in them opting for suicide whenever they face crisis situations

3. Is there a corresponding rise in conditions such as depression, stress and anxiety? When the resilience itself is missing then obviously conditions like ADHD, stress, depression , anxiety, and suicidal ideation come to the fore.

4. Do you think there is suddenly a rise in undue pressure on students for better academic and career performance, or is this a myth propagated by media/students? As I mentioned in my previous answer there is a rise in the level of expectations from parents and peer pressure also plays an important role here. This is an aspirational generation with parents wanting their kids to achieve levels of success that they themselves couldn't . So the pressure to perform is high and totally impractical. It's not dependent on individual capacities but on generic capabilities.

5. Why are students opting to end their lives instead of dealing with their problems? Can we compare this with the past, say 30-40 years back? Is there any difference in the way students dealt with pressure back then? The rise in population, the rise in expectations, a more open and accessible world because of globalisation, increasing access to information has increased performance pressure on students to such an extent that their individual capacities are unable to cope with it. This makes the situation precarious especially since they are competing with a huge number of peers for the coveted professional courses they aim for( medicine, engineering etc). Students begin to believe that their lives are at an end because they havn't been able to achieve what they set out to do or what their parents expect them to do. Their self esteem is at a low and they begin to believe they are of little value to their parents and the world at large. They think it would be better for their parents if they end their lives. They believe that at least then their parents won't have to face the humiliation of their son or daughter not achieving the levels of success that the relatives, kids, or friends kids or neighbors's kids have managed to achieve. 30-40 years ago we had the joint family system providing support and caring to every member of the family. Nuclear families were not the norm then. And one parent was usually at home taking care of the family's emotional needs. Today parents are just too busy working( such are the pressures of modern work life)and living their own lives to pay attention to their child's emotional development.

6. How can society ensure that more young people don't commit suicide? Society must look within for answers. We are all members of the society and it must become our responsibility to encourage children to develop their skill sets as per their individual abilities rather than a generic absolute being thrust upon them. Parents must guide their children through rough patches, be their sounding board and develop capacities to listen to their problems even if it's something they wouldn't want to hear from their kids. They need to spend more time teaching their children to communicate on a one-on-one basis , openly and without fear so that issues could be cleared up immediately instead of allowing them to pile up and create so much tension that they child prefers to kill himself or herself rather than speak about it to his /her parents. There must be a simultaneous change in the manner in which the education system is structured. Individual capabilities and not marks/grades or capitation fees should be the yardstick for selection to courses. Also other professional courses should be given equal weightage during career counselling sessions

Student/Youth Suicide Statistics for India


Student suicides jump by a fourth Family problems were blamed for 24 pc of the suicides, illness for 19.6 pc, drug abuse for 3.4 pc and love affairs for 3.3 pc. 11 0 Google +1 Written by ZEESHAN SHAIKH | Mumbai | Updated: July 1, 2014 11:09 am By: Zeeshan Shaikh The number of students who committed suicide increased 26.58 per cent between 2012 and 2013, from 6,654 to 8,423, figures compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau show. This was when the nationwide total had dipped 0.47 per cent from 1,35,445 in 2012 to 1,34,799 in 2013, which translates into 11 out of every lakh Indians. Suicides by farmers dipped 14.41 per cent from 13,754 to 11,772. Suicide cases in India Maharashtra 03, 3% (16,622) Tamil Nadu 0006, 12.3% (16,601) Andhra Pradesh 0009, 10.8% (14,607) West Bengal 00012, 9.7% (13,055) Karnataka 00012. 8.4% (11,266) 53.5% of suicides (72,151 out of 1,34,799) took place in 5 States Maharashtra had the highest state-wise count in 2013 with 16,622, followed closely by Tamil Nadu with 16,601, each accounting for 12.3 per cent. Andhra Pradesh accounted for 10.8 per cent, West Bengal for 9.7 per cent, and Karnataka for 8.4 per cent. Together, these five states saw 53.5 per cent, or more than half, of the country’s suicides. Of these states, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh saw an increase in suicides while the other three saw a dip. SUICIDE - Causes Family Problems 24% IlnessDrug 19.6% Abuse 3.4% Love Affairs 3.3% Number of students committing suicide up by 26.58 pc in 2012-13 from 6,654 to 8,423 “All the five states, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, have registered consistently higher number of suicidal deaths during the last few years,” states the NCRB report ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India, 2013’. Other Trends 67:33 Male to female. Social and economic causes drove most males to suicide; emotional and personal causes led to most of the suicides by females 64.5% Rise in pregnancy-driven suicides (from 93 to 153) 24% Suicides driven by family problems. 19.6% were driven by illness, 3.4% were a result of drug abuse, 3.3% were because of love affairs 39.8% Suicides by hanging, the highest proportion, followed by 27.9% by consuming poison, 7.4% by self-immolation and 5.7% by drowning Puducherry and Sikkim had the highest suicide rates. Against the national average of 11 out of every one lakh citizens, Puducherry saw as many as 35.6 per lakh and Sikkim 29.3 per lakh. Among causes, family problems were blamed for 24 per cent of the suicides, illness for 19.6 per cent, drug abuse for 3.4 per cent and love affairs for 3.3 per cent. Teens in Southern India Have the World's Highest Suicide Rates ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Teens in Southern India Have the World's Highest Suicide Rates by Kevin Caruso The average global suicide rate is 14.5 deaths per 100,000 people, with suicide being the 4th leading cause of death in the 15-19 age group. A study published in the British medical journal The Lancet indicates that the suicide rate in the 15-19 group living around Vellore in Tamil Nadu, India, was 148 per 100,000 for women, and 58 per 100,000 for men. What stood out in the data was that not only were the rates extremely high, but that rates for young women were almost three times higher than rates for young men. This is the opposite of global rates, in which men are three times higher than those for women. Suicide deaths accounted for between 50 to 75 percent of all deaths in young women in the 15-19 age group. The two most common methods for females were hanging and poisoning by insecticide. The third most common method for females was one that is not seen frequently outside of India, and that is of self-immolation, or burning oneself to death in a fire. This method is common for females but rare for men. Contributing factors for the high levels of suicides for young females includes untreated mental illness, domestic violence, and conflicts over dowries. Clearly, this disturbing data points to an urgent need for suicide prevention programs, better assessment and treatment of mental disorders, and better treatment of women in India. -------------------------------------------------------- Stressed-out students attempting suicide Sunitha Rao R | TNN | Sep 10, 2014, 04.00 AM IST Bangalore: Growing up is fraught with suicidal tendencies. A Nimhans study under way has found that 11% of college students and 7%-8% of high school students have attempted suicide. In the survey, 1,500 school and college students were studied on suicide prevention. "What's bothering the current adolescent generation is stress due to academics, relationship with parents, peer groups and romantic relationships," says Dr M Manjula, associate professor, department of psychiatry, Nimhans, who is spearheading the study. An earlier Nimhans study involving 800 teenagers revealed that 20% of children suffered from subclinical depression, while 30% suffered from mild to moderate depression, she said. According to Dr John Vijay Sagar, child and adolescent psychiatrist, high rate of cyber-bullying is also a trigger for depression among adolescents. Counselling parents is vital in such cases, he added. Nimhans experts were speaking about the study in the backdrop of the World Suicide Prevention Day observed on September 10. Dr G Gururaj, professor of epidemiology, Nimhans, said there has been a huge increase in suicides in India from nearly 40,000 in 1920 to 1,35,000 by 2013. "It's estimated that 15-20 lakh suicide attempts occur in India every year. For every suicide committed, there are a minimum of 15-20 persons attempting suicide. Not all suicides are reported to police due to the stigma attached to it. The victim's family also suffers for depression and don't get post-trauma counselling," he said. He said World Health Organisation estimates and police statistics differ as not all suicides are reported and the truth lies somewhere in between. Four charts show why India's youth suicide rate is among the world's highest As government moves to decriminalise suicide, a reminder: the stresses of economic and social transition are killing the country's young people. On Wednesday, the government announced it would decriminalise suicide. It is the rational thing to do: after all, those who attempt suicide do so for lack of social, economic and emotional resources. It will also ensure that young Indians under stress are not punished for cracking. After all, India has one of the world’s highest rate of suicides among people aged between 15 years and 29 years. Each year, between 30 and 40 people per 100,000 Indians aged between 15 and 29 kill themselves. This accounts for about a third of all suicides in the country. India's suicides are a result of its traditionalist middle-income residents transitioning to an increasingly globalised landscape, experts say. One striking fact when considering the suicide deaths per 100,000 people of that age-group is that the figures are higher in the better-off southern states and the lowest in the Hindi heartland. The strains are obvious from this chart. A common cause for concern is the pressure from parents to do well in the national board examinations, especially for Class XII, before finishing school. As scores in these exams often determine college admissions and subsequent employment opportunities, students aged 16-18 are often subjected to undue pressure at home to succeed. When they don't, suicide becomes a way out. In 2013 alone, 2,471 suicides were attributed to "failure in examination". Moreover, the consequences of gender bias are among the leading cause of suicides among young women, say psychiatrists such as Rajiv Radhakrishnan of the Yale University School of Medicine and Chittaranjan Andrade of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru. Independent decision-making, wanting to postpone marriage and premarital sex are some factors that clash with traditional parenting styles, while physical and mental abuse and mental disorders could exacerbate suicidal tendencies. A study conducted in Goa in 2008 studied to what extent these factors were more prevalent among women than among men. The same study found that independent decision-making, rural residence and premarital sex were the strongest precipitators of suicidal tendencies. Among men, however, the stories are different. As data from the National Crime Records Bureau shows, suicide is more prevalent toward south India, which has better economic indicators than the rest of the country on average. According to data from the NCRB for 2013 and a World Health Organisation report for 2012, alcoholism among men between the ages of 15 and 59 years and suicide rates among men of the same age group rise and fall together. However, the data sets do not have an age-wise breakdown, so this covariance could be no more than indicative of other issues. The same WHO report, released in September, noted that 75% of the world’s suicides happen in low- and middle-income countries. It also says that “suicide rates are highest in persons aged 70 years or over for both men and women in almost all regions of the world”. But this is not true for India. There is an immediate explanation for why India’s elderly have it better than India’s young. Taking care of the elderly has been an important part of Indian familial traditions. Their needs are widely recognised and addressed, and they enjoy a measure of respect by virtue of their age. The clash of values within families is an important factor for young people in their lives. As young Indians becomes more progressive, their traditionalist households become less supportive of their choices pertaining to financial independence, marriage age, premarital sex, rehabilitation and taking care of the elderly. It is probably for these reasons that, according to the NCRB, the most common reason cited for a suicide was "family problems". We welcome your comments at letters@scroll.in. Suicide rates in India are highest in the 15-29 age group. New Delhi: Young Indians are more likely to commit suicide than previously thought, especially those living in wealthier and more educated regions, according to a study on Friday that experts say suggests India's rapid development is driving many youths to despair. Opportunities that have come with two decades of economic boom and open markets have also brought more job anxiety, higher expectations and more pressure to achieve, mental health experts said. India has some of the world's highest suicide rates, with many believing the biggest risk group to be rural farmers facing debt after poor harvests. However, the study - published in the Lancet medical journal on Friday - says suicide rates are highest in the 15-29 age group, peaking in southern regions that are considered richer and more developed with better education, social welfare and health care. That puts the young at high risk - a new phenomenon experts said has happened recently as more middle-class youths strive to meet achievement expectations, and new technologies like cell phones and social networking sites help break down traditional family units once relied on for support. Overall, the report uses a national government survey of deaths in 2001-03 to estimate 187,000 suicides took place in 2010, making it the cause of 3 per cent of deaths that year. The WHO reports about 1 million suicides a year, which would be a rate of about 14 per 100,000 in a global population of 7 billion. By comparison, the U.S. had 37,790 suicides in 2010, or a rate of 12.2 per 100,000, while India's rate under the Lancet's projected suicide tally of 187,000 would be near 16 - far higher than earlier reports and estimates of around 10. There has been little scientific examination of suicide motives in India. While The Lancet study does not address the question of motivation, the report's authors, as well as experts not associated with the study, saw few likely reasons for the rise in suicide among young people beyond the increased pressure that has come with new economic opportunity and social fragmentation. The higher rates may come from "the greater likelihood of disappointments when aspirations that define success and happiness are distorted or unmet by the reality faced by young people in a rapidly changing society," said Dr. Vikram Patel, one of the report's authors, in an editorial printed in The Hindu. He also noted online social networking was making "loneliness more common." He admits his conclusion is conjecture, but says "I cannot think of any more plausible explanation." Among men, 40 per cent of suicides were among people age 15-29. For women, it was nearly 60 per cent. The numbers mean young men are nearly as likely to die from suicide as in traffic accidents, while rates of suicide among young women are nearly as high as the rate of death by complications from pregnancy or childbirth. The revelation has shocked many in a country notorious for poor maternal health care statistics. "We can only guess broadly at what might be behind it. People say partially the rapid changes on society that have come with globalization, the breakdown of the families," said Dr. Roy Abraham, president of the Indian Psychiatric Society. There are few facilities in India for mental health problems, and stigmas prevent many people from seeking support. Telephone help lines are often not adequately staffed, and many schools do not have counsellors. "Mental health is not a priority in India," he said. "It has to be a priority. Many people are not aware of the fact that mental health is behind suicide." Courts are starting to mandate programs for educating people about public health issues including suicide, sexuality and drug abuse, experts said. "The young face very high competition and pressure from families to succeed. Many parents think their child should come first in the class. Of course, that can't happen," said Dr. T.S. Sathyanarayana Rao, head of psychiatry at J. S. S. Medical College & Hospital in Mysore, 140 kilometers (87 miles) from the nation's technology centre of Bangalore. When youths start to despair, they often don't think to seek help, or shun the idea because "they think psychiatry is only for crazy people," he said. Many suicide cases still go unreported, expert said, as people hide what is still an illegal act in India, the report says. roup: Report Suicides in India About 800000 people commit suicide worldwide every year,[2] of these 135,000 (17%) are residents of India,[3] a nation with 17.5% of world population. Between 1987 and 2007, the suicide rate increased from 7.9 to 10.3 per 100,000,[4] with higher suicide rates in southern and eastern states of India.[5] In 2012, Tamil Nadu (12.5% of all suicides), Maharashtra (11.9%) and West Bengal (11.0%) had the highest proportion of suicides.[3] Among large population states, Tamil Nadu and Kerala had the highest suicide rates per 100,000 people in 2012. The male to female suicide ratio has been about 2:1.[3] Estimates for number of suicides in India vary. For example, one study projected 187,000 suicides in India in 2010,[6] while official data by the Government of India claims 134,600 suicides in 2010.[3] According to WHO data, the age standardized suicide rate in India is 16.4 per 100,000 for women (6th highest in the world) and 25.8 for men (ranking 22nd).[7] Definition The Government of India classifies a death as suicide if it meets the following three criteria:[8] it is an unnatural death, the intent to die originated within the person, there is a reason for the person to end his or her life. The reason may have been specified in a suicide note or unspecified. If one of these criterion is not met, the death may be classified as death because of illness, murder or in another statistical category. Statistics State-wise distribution in 2014 Causes for suicide in India In 2014[9] Causes No of people Bankruptcy or indebtedness 2,308 Marriage Related Issues 6,773 Non Settlement of Marriage 1,096 Dowry Related Issues 2,261 Extra Marital affairs 476 Divorce 333 Others 2,607 Failure in Examination 2,403 Impotency/Infertility 332 Other Family problems 28,602 Illness 23,746 AIDS/STD 233 Cancer 582 Paralysis 408 Insanity/Mental illness 7,104 Other prolonged illness 15,419 Death of dear person 981 Drug abuse/addiction 3,647 Fall in social reputation 490 Ideological causes/Hero worshipping 56 Love affairs 4,168 Poverty 1,699 Unemployment 2,207 Property dispute 1,067 Suspected/Illicit relation 458 Regional trends The southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu along with eastern state of West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram have a suicide rate of greater than 16 while in the Northern States of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the suicide rate is less than 4.[3] Puducherry reported the highest suicide rate at 36.8 per 100,000 people, followed by Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The lowest suicide rates were reported in Bihar (0.8 per 100,000), followed by Nagaland, then Manipur.[8] Age and suicide in India In India, about 46,000 suicides occurred each in 15-29 and 30-44 age groups in 2012 - or about 34% each of all suicides.[3] Method of suicide in India Poisoning (33%), hanging (31%) and self-immolation (9%) were the primary methods used to commit suicide in 2012.[3] Literacy 80% of the suicide victims were literate, higher than the national average literacy rate of 74%.[8] Suicide in cities There were 19,120 suicides in India's largest 53 cities. In the year 2012, Chennai reported the highest total number of suicides at 2,183, followed by Bengaluru (1,989), Delhi (1,397) and Mumbai (1,296). Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) followed by Kollam (Kerala) reported the highest rate of suicides 45.1 and 40.5 per 100,000 people respectively, about 4 times higher than national average rate.[8] There is a wide variation in suicide rates, year to year, among Indian cities. Gender On average, males suicide rate is twice that of females in India.[10] However, there is a wide variation in this ratio at the regional level. West Bengal reported 6,277 female suicides, the highest amongst all states of India, and a ratio of male to female suicides at 4:3.[8] Dynamics Domestic violence and suicide in India Further information: Domestic violence in India Domestic violence is a major risk factor for suicide in a study in Bangalore.[11][12] However, as a fraction of total suicides, violence against women - such as domestic violence, rape, incest and dowry - accounted for less than 4% of total suicides.[3] Suicide motivated by politics Suicides motivated by ideology doubled between 2006 and 2008.[5] Farmer's suicide in India Main article: Farmers' suicides in India India's economy vastly depends on agriculture with around 60% of its people directly or indirectly depend upon it. Different reasons like droughts, lack of better prices, exploitation by Middlemen, inability to pay loans etc. lead Indian farmers to suicide.

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Kota suicides


Kota rocked by 5 student suicides in 1 month Over the past one month, five suicides have been reported, the latest being on Saturday when an 18-year-old boy from Gopalganj in Bihar hung himself from the ceiling fan. 83 7 Google +1 Written by Sweta Dutta | Jaipur | Updated: June 30, 2015 10:42 am kota, kota suicide, suicide, suicide cases in kota, kota student, kota student suicide The last case, reported on Saturday, was that of an 18-year-old boy from Gopalganj in Bihar who committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan. A spate of student suicides has sent shockwaves through the local administration and the teeming student community in the coaching hub of Kota. Five suicides have been reported in the city over the past one month. The last case, reported on Saturday, was that of an 18-year-old boy from Gopalganj in Bihar who committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan. While police officials point to a different trigger in each case, they claim that the common underlying factors are rising performance pressure and bouts of homesickness among adolescents. × Share This Article Share Related Article 17-yr-old IIT aspirant ends life in Kota Two more students commit suicide in Kota, poor performance in exam suspected Two girls commit suicide in Kota due strees from studies 14-yr-old commits suicide in Charkop Three students commit suicide in Mumbai 5 suicides in city 17-yr-old IIT aspirant ends life in Kota Two more students commit suicide in Kota, poor performance in exam suspected Two girls commit suicide in Kota due strees from studies 14-yr-old commits suicide in Charkop Three students commit suicide in Mumbai 5 suicides in city 17-yr-old IIT aspirant ends life in Kota Two more students commit suicide in Kota, poor performance in exam suspected Two girls commit suicide in Kota due strees from studies 14-yr-old commits suicide in Charkop Three students commit suicide in Mumbai 5 suicides in city 1 2 3 4 5 6 Prev Next Additional Superintendent of Police, Kota, Shantanu Kumar said: “Various reasons were found behind the five suicide cases. In the recent case, there was a love affair and the boy had written a suicide note asking his girlfriend to be informed about his death. In another case, the girl was troubled over a lesbian relationship, while in another case it was homesickness. In another incident, where a father-daughter duo committed suicide in a hotel, financial problems were cited in the suicide note. Only in one case did the student take the drastic step because of academic pressure.” Police officials, however, added that no case has been closed yet. In Kota, the rise in the number of suicides corresponds with the growth of the coaching industry. Kumar, who has investigated many such cases in the past, said, “In 2013, around 26 students committed suicide, in 2014 another 14 cases were reported whereas so far this year 11 cases have already come to light. It is noted that from May to July, when the new academic session starts, more cases are reported. The number of dropouts and the instances of children going into depression also increase during this period.” “Maybe parents have to do more to ensure that the children are well taken care of and they have someone to turn to,” he said. Poor health leading cause of stress among Kota students Summary: The meeting was attended by 21 psychologists with experience of handling students at coaching centres.The collector will hold a second round of meeting with psychologists before submitting the report. JAIPUR: In August, 17-year-old meritorious student Rishabh Sharma (name changed) from Mau district in Madhya Pradesh quit his medical coaching within two months of joining a centre.A clinical psychologist, studying the causes of stress among students, interviewed him to conclude that prolonged illness (viral fever and diarrhea) had forced him to be absent for 23 days in two months. Further investigations revealed that due to irregular eating habits and unhygienic consumption of fast food, the immune system of the boy had weakened.This is turning out to be the one of the major reasons for stress, say clinical psychologists, who submitted their preliminary report to the district administration of Kota.The report was sought by district collector Ravi Kumar Surpur after he held a meeting with clinical psychologists this week to find out reasons for stress among students, which in extreme cases lead to suicides.A high-level meeting, presided by chief minister Vasundhara Raje, was earlier held in Jaipur to contain suicides in Kota. JAIPUR: In August, 17-year-old meritorious student Rishabh Sharma (name changed) from Mau district in Madhya Pradesh quit his medical coaching within two months of joining a centre.A clinical psychologist, studying the causes of stress among students, interviewed him to conclude that prolonged illness (viral fever and diarrhea) had forced him to be absent for 23 days in two months. Further investigations revealed that due to irregular eating habits and unhygienic consumption of fast food, the immune system of the boy had weakened.This is turning out to be the one of the major reasons for stress, say clinical psychologists, who submitted their preliminary report to the district administration of Kota.The report was sought by district collector Ravi Kumar Surpur after he held a meeting with clinical psychologists this week to find out reasons for stress among students, which in extreme cases lead to suicides.A high-level meeting, presided by chief minister Vasundhara Raje, was earlier held in Jaipur to contain suicides in Kota. The meeting was attended by 21 psychologists with experience of handling students at coaching centres.The collector will hold a second round of meeting with psychologists before submitting the report.. . . . Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Poor-health-stressing-out-coaching-students-in-Kota/articleshow/54009153.cms Amity suicide PIL in Supreme Court today The Supreme Court will on Monday take up as a PIL a letter written to Chief Justice of India T S Thakur and other judges by Sushant’s friend Raghav Sharma on August 20. 15 SHARES Share to Facebook FacebookShare to Twitter TwitterShare to Google+ Google+Share to Email Email Written by Utkarsh Anand | New Delhi | Updated: September 5, 2016 5:56 am amity, amity student, amity law student suicide, sushant rohilla, amity university, amity university student death, law student suicide, Amity law student suicide, delhi news, Sushant Rohilla Three weeks after Amity Law School student Sushant Rohilla killed himself after being denied permission to write his exams for lack of attendance, the country’s highest court has heard his family and friends’ appeal for justice. The Supreme Court will on Monday take up as a PIL a letter written to Chief Justice of India T S Thakur and other judges by Sushant’s friend Raghav Sharma on August 20, requesting them to not allow Sushant’s death to remain just another incident of a student’s suicide. Raghav, along with Sushant’s sister Mehek and uncle Dinesh, had earlier taken the campaign to social media, creating the hashtag #JusticeForSushant. × The 21-year-old third year law student had hanged himself at his home in Delhi on August 10 after Amity barred him from sitting for semester exams because he did not have the requisite attendance. Sushant left behind a note saying he was a failure, and did not wish to live. A week after the incident, Amity Law School had said in a statement that Sushant had 43 per cent attendance and this had been “conveyed to his parents many times through mail”. The school is affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh IP University, the statement said, and “the attendance, as per the rules of IP University, was sent to IP, which has the sole discretion to issue admit cards… for sitting in examinations.” It added, “Amity Law School had absolutely no role.” Nine days after Sushant’s suicide, two faculty members, B P Singh Sehgal and Isheeta Rutabhasini, resigned amid protests by students and the family. The Amity administration maintained both had left on their own, taking into account the sentiments of students. In his emotionally charged letter, Raghav wrote proudly about Sushant’s good performance in examinations and his exceptional debating skills, and accused the college of being extremely unfair to his friend. Sushant, the letter claimed, was forced to repeat an entire academic year in the five-year BA LLB course because he had failed to maintain 75 per cent attendance, despite having bone fide reasons for missing college. Raghav, a fourth year student of the same college, wrote that before taking the extreme step, Sushant had written to the founder president of the Amity Group, pleading with him to allow him to sit for the semester exam, since he had valid reasons for not being able to attend classes. In his email to the founder president, Sushant had underscored his accomplishments in moot court competition and other extra curricular activities, and written that debarment from the exam would destroy him, and he might not “mentally survive” it. Raghav accused a particular member of the Amity faculty of constantly harassing Sushant, and alleged that despite complaints by students, the college administration had not conducted a fair inquiry. The letter to the CJI and other judges pointed out that Sushant’s family had filed a criminal complaint, accusing the teacher of abetment to suicide, and asking that the college be tried for being “institutional abettors”. Raghav’s letter was placed before the Supreme Court’s PIL committee, comprising Justices Anil R Dave and J S Khehar, which directed the registry to treat it as a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution since it raised issues of violation of fundamental rights of students. Why Kota Kills: Two More Suicides in the ‘Deathtrap’ for Students Aviral Virk May 8, 2016, 6:28 pm Twenty-four students have committed suicide in Kota in the last sixteen months. What’s common between them is that they were all enrolled at one of the 130-odd coaching institutes in the largest, most successful coaching hub in the country. Though these students form a small percentage of the 1.5 lakh students who come to Kota each year, they cannot be brushed aside as mere statistics. The Quint tries to understand how a breeding ground for academic excellence is snuffing out young lives. Kota Death Toll Reaches Eight As Two Allegedly Commit Suicide PTI May 8, 2016, 4:16 pm 0 In what seems like an unending series of unfortunate events, two students allegedly committed suicide in Kota after they performed poorly in the exams. 18-year-old Keshav Meena alias Monu, resident of Harinagar in Khatoli town of the district, hanged himself from the ceiling fan of his rented room in Mahaveernagar Extension area, a police personnel said.The police broke into his room this morning on after being informed by the landlord and found his body. Meena was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead. He had been living in Kota for about a year and was preparing for medical entrance tests at Career Point, a coaching institute. No suicide note was recovered from the room. It is suspected that poor performance in the NEET exam he sat for on May 1 is likely to be the reason behind the suicide. Investigation in the case is underway and the body has been handed over to the family members after a postmortem. On Thursday, a final year student of B.Tech consumed poison in his room and succumbed during treatment at a hospital yesterday. Avanish Meena (22), a resident of Hingoniya village in Kanwas Thesil here, consumed poison in Subashnagar II area of the city, Sub-Inspector Ramkishan said. The deceased had reportedly not performed well in one of his papers and was scheduled to appear for the next exam on Thursday, but he missed it and consumed poison, Ramkishan explained. He said the victim had called his family and informed he was “going to heaven”. The body has been handed over to the family members after postmortem. This is the eight suicide by a student in Kota this year. Last year the number of suicide cases by students taking coaching were 19, following which guidelines to coaching institutes to check such deaths were initiated. Recently, Kota district collector Ravi Kumar Surpur had written an emotional letter to parents of over 1.50 lakh students in coaching institutes here, asking them not to force their expectations on the children. Why Kota Kills: 7 Reasons Behind Student Suicides in Coaching Town Aviral Virk May 4, 2016, 5:07 pm 4k Engagement 0 1. Parental Expectations Nobody knows if anyone ever asked Kriti if she wanted to be an engineer. A day after her IIT JEE (Main) results were declared, she jumped from the fifth floor of her rented apartment in Kota. She’d passed with 144/360 marks, way below her expectations. Bright, cheerful and ambitious – that’s how 17-year-old Kriti’s neighbours in Ghaziabad remember her. That she was depressed went unnoticed even by her parents who stayed with her for most part of the two years that she spent studying for IIT at Kota’s Vibrant Academy. Twenty-four students enrolled in one of the 130-odd coaching institutes in Kota have committed suicide in the last sixteen months. The Quint visited Kota to find out why. The Quint's Documentary: Why Kota Kills 2. No Screening Process Of the 130-odd coaching institutes in Kota, none conduct a screening or entrance test. Not all students are cut out for IIT or AIIMS. Many don’t even have an aptitude for mathematics or science. India’s shadow education system thrives on our obsession with doctors and engineers which has led a dying industrial town like Kota to evolve into a booming education hub. Pramod Maheshwari, who co-founded Career Point, is brutally honest about how business gets the better of education in Kota. “If we don’t admit a child, some other coaching institute will pick him up. A second reason for not having a screening process is that no parent likes to hear that his/her child won’t make it to the IITs. They will push for it and say ‘Let him give it a shot, at worst one year will get wasted’.” Kota is full of big hoardings boasting All India Ranks. (Photo: The Quint) Kota is full of big hoardings boasting All India Ranks. (Photo: The Quint) 3. Money Talks It’s unparalleled success rate has ensured that Kota is the go-to destination for IIT and AIPMT coaching. The coaching institutes are able to maintain their academic records with the help of independent syllabi that goes into far greater detail than what is taught in Class 11 and 12. Ex-IITian teachers and a gruelling study schedule breaks down12 hours into 90 minute classes separated by 10 minute breaks. Speaking to The Quint, Sfurti who’s studying at one of the biggest coaching institutes in Kota says her institute allots classes on the basis of aptitudes. Those in the top batches are given express treatment – like special classes, fully-equipped libraries and 24-hour teachers on call for clearing doubts. Potential toppers are given fully-furnished apartments with a cook, maid and scooters. When you see others doing well it instills a sense of competition. But when you see them being rewarded with money and other facilities, it leaves you feeling insecure. Sfurti Prayers scribbled on the walls of Kota’s Radhe Shyam temple are indicative of the kind of the pressure students are under. (Photo: The Quint) Prayers scribbled on the walls of Kota’s Radhe Shyam temple are indicative of the kind of the pressure students are under. (Photo: The Quint) 4. Poaching Toppers In Kota, scouts who identify potential toppers are common. Coaching institutes are known to lure them with money, just so that their top rank in the IIT or AIPMT can be published under their institute’s name. Crores are spent on advertising these top All India Ranks in newspapers and on hoardings across the country to lure more students to join them. Sfurti claims a friend of hers was offered big money to shift to her coaching institute just days before the exam. Daughter of a leading ENT specialist in Kota, Sfruti is fighting pressure as she prepares for the AIPMT. (Photo: The Quint) Daughter of a leading ENT specialist in Kota, Sfruti is fighting pressure as she prepares for the AIPMT. (Photo: The Quint) 5. Catch ‘em Young The coaching institutes have realised the business potential of starting coaching classes for children as young as 13. These students are enrolled in what is called a dummy school. On paper, they are enrolled in a government-recognised school, but in practice they are attending coaching classes instead of regular school. Attendance is not a criteria to get into a higher class. There is now a law that stops coaching institutes from catering to the education needs of a class 8 student. We exist because of our failing education system. The government is focusing on social welfare schemes and shows high enrolment numbers to prove its education system is working. But where is the quality? Teachers should be given incentives to get results, not make mid-day meals. Pramod Maheshwari, Director, Career Point 6. Dummy Schools Ranjan, a government employee from Patna had filled up forms for his 13-year-old son to admit him to a coaching institute. He wants his son to crack the IIT and is going to pay ten times his current school fees to give him a four-year headstart to the entrance exam. Ranjan’s son will not only be straightjacketed into a career choice, but he will have to leave his home, school and friends to live all by himself in Kota. Ranjan and Ruby Kumari insist their 13-year-old is ready to leave home and study for IIT in Kota. (Photo: The Quint) Ranjan and Ruby Kumari insist their 13-year-old is ready to leave home and study for IIT in Kota. (Photo: The Quint) Dr Surbhi Goyal insists this is detrimental to a child considering s/he is deprived of regular school and necessary peer interaction. Kids from small towns and big cities come to Kota. The institutional nature of this coaching hub ends in a classroom. Outside the class, the child is left to his or her own devices. Very few 13 year olds are mentally equipped to handle the responsibility and the culture shock. Many seek out solace in relationships. One of the cases I had reviewed, the girl committed suicide because she was pregnant. She was from a small town and didn’t know who to go to for help. Drug habits and loans are other reasons why children end their lives. Dr Surbhi Goyal, Counsellor 7. Alternate Reality Like Surjeet, Lovy has made no friends and struggles to cope with the studies and the culture differences in Kota. (Photo: The Quint) Like Surjeet, Lovy has made no friends and struggles to cope with the studies and the culture differences in Kota. (Photo: The Quint) Kota is an alternate social and cultural universe. It has allowed a welder’s son from Bihar to crack the IITs and secure a Rs 1.2 crore pay package from Microsoft. On the other end of the spectrum is Lovy from Delhi who sought timely help from a counsellor after being ragged on “for wearing shorts and dresses”. Most of the people here are from MP and Bihar. I’m used to wearing shorts and dresses, but the girls in the hostel talk behind my back and say I have too much attitude because I’m from Delhi. But that’s not the case. It deeply affects me when people have such wrong misconceptions about me and because of this I have no friends. Why Kota is so killing Akhilesh Singh | TNN | Jan 3, 2016, 12.00 AM IST Rahul Kumar, 17, studies for a periodic tests with notes, daily targets, and inspirational quotes covering his walls in a 10 sq-ft room. A native of Khagariya in Bihar, he came to Kota in May to crack his way into a medical college and since then, hasn’t left the Talwandi region where his coaching institute and hostel are located.Rahul Kumar, 17, studies for a periodic tests with notes, daily targets, and inspirational quotes covering his... Read More 18-hour study schedules. A brutal sorting system that segregates 'average' students. No fee refund policies for those who want out 'We can't take it anymore. Our parents have told us to return home only after cracking IIT-JEE," said two distressed young students to psychologist Dr ML Agarwal in Jawaharnagar, Kota. The boys were both from Bhatinda, Punjab, where they lived in large joint families. They found themselves unable to cope in their new environment, with daily tutorial classes, and having to study for up to 18 hours a day. "It took months of therapy at a rehabilitation centre, and the involvement of their families, to restore them," says Dr Agarwal. READ ALSO: Ex-Kota IITian recalls the pain These breakdowns are all too common, across a city that reinvented itself in the late '90s as coaching hub for the hyper-competitive engineering and medical school exams. Roughly 1.6 lakh teenagers from the surrounding states flock to Kota's coaching institutes every year, paying between 50,000 and a lakh for annual tuition. Some begin early, as coaching centres also run ghost schools where they enroll middle-school students. In a few institutes, they are taught by IIT alumni, who claim salaries of Rs 1.5-2 crore for their expertise. Neither coaching centres nor hostels have exit policies or refunds, so for students who borrow money to come to Kota, the stakes are even higher. Most students live in rented rooms with minimal facilities. They may desperately dream of IIT, but many of them are unprepared for the psychological costs. Kota has now become a byword for student suicides. A 14-year-old boy killed himself recently, the 30th suicide last year. Purushottam Singh, whose nephew Shivdutt committed suicide on December 22, is in tears as he talks of the boy. Back home in Kollari village, Dholpur, Singh says, "there were high expectations of him. His family and neighbours had already started calling him doctor sahib." The parents of 17-year-old Suresh Mishra (name changed), from Vidisha, now regret having sent him to Kota. "It started with headache, fatigue and bed-wetting. He now suffers from blackouts, partial memory loss and occasional hallucinations," says his father Mukund. Around the world, student burnout is caused by high rates of physical and emotional exhaustion, a sense of being depersonalised, and a shrunken sense of personal achievement. Kota is a cauldron for all these feelings, with other factors like the fear of letting down one's family, or not having any career alternatives. All around Kota, the message is to excel, or be left behind. Billboards celebrate success and star students. Entry into IITs or the other engineering and medical schools is seen as the only measure of worth. Coaching institutes, though, admit anyone who can pay the fee. Then begins the brutal sorting of students into different batches on the basis of their performance. Those who lag in their studies live in terror of these internal assessments, and struggle with their sense of inadequacy. Some are doubly challenged, with the Class XII board and the competitive exams. Want to discover new music? Try inmusik inmusik Indian Investors Prosper in the United Arab Emirates RAK Recommended By Colombia READ ALSO: It is no better for pre-med students The problem, though, is that while Kota's coaching centres can find and hone smart students into the perfect JEE test-takers, they are thrown by "weakness" in students. Their performance criteria does not factor in vulnerability or burnout at all, making it hard for students to seek help. As Naveen Maheshwari, the director of Kota's largest coaching institute puts it, "average performers are bound to fail" in this competitive place. "In such an environment, parents should understand that IITs and AIIMS are not the end of the world. They should stop imposing their own dreams on children." Top Comment All of these coaching centers transform the students into machines...kill the joy of thinking..curtail creativity...i quit a gate coaching institute half way cuz of the methods they use...its better ... Read MoreHEADSHOT Olympus And yet, the idea that coaching centres have a responsibility for the mental wellbeing of students in their tutelage is only now dawning on them. Maheshwari now plans to institute random silent psychometric tests to detect vulnerable students who can be kept under watch. However, he claims that students get even more depressed if their parents take them back home. Meanwhile, jolted by the serial suicides, the district administration is also awakening to its responsibility. Kota collector Ravi Kumar, says, "We have taken some steps, like an advisory to coaching institutes to screen students for aptitude. We are setting up a helpline to counsel students."

Life's most stressful events in one chart


Life's most stressful events in one chart inShare32 by Niall McCarthy, Jul 21, 2016 Which events inflict the most stress in life? A new survey shows that loss and grief are high on the stress scale with the death of a spouse the worst single event. Divorce, marital seperation and jail terms are also particularly grueling. This chart was featured on the indy100 and you can read the whole story here. This chart shows impact scores of stressful life events where 100 = most stressful. Infographic: Life's most stressful events in one chart | Statista Infographic: Life's most stressful events in one  chart | Statista
You will find more statistics at Statista

Friday, July 29, 2016

Johnson Thomas , director Aasra answers questions on youth suicides

Johnson Thomas , director Aasra answers questions on Youth Suicides

According to a survey, 58 per cent of depressed youngsters (age group 14-24) have had thoughts of suicide. I would like inputs on the following.


> What are the reasons/factors behind such a large youth in the city being depressed?

  The fast changing environment in urban life brought on by transitions linked to globalisation (loss of protective factors/fractured support systems  like break up of joint family system, increasing incidence of nuclear and single parent families, increasing attachment towards materiakism, ambitions overiding the importance of relationships and social and ethical strictures leading to the lack of strong  emotive bonding within relationships, poor conditioning in dealing with failure and rejection, lack of coping ability development to handle crisis situations. 




> Do you think the fact that mental illness is not taken as a serious illness in our country?

Well it is not and you can see that in the low allocation of funds towards mental health  in the budget itself. Also the stigma associated with mental illness has not been wiped out completely so seeking help for mental illness issues is difficult for most people. The lack of health professionals in this area is also an impediment. Also the manner in which some existing health care professionals treat the mentall ill is also questionable. 


> According to the survey, 74 per cent of these people are unable to talk to parents about their depression. Why?

because most parents would prefer to overlook depression as a possible impediment to their child's future. It's something they do not know how to deal with themselves and the associated stigma is pretty much off putting for any attempts at seeking help. Also depression is largely trivialised as a behavioural issue and most parents would advocate hard work ,discipline, and will power as a cureall.    


>  How can youngsters better their mental health?

A regular stress free routine would be ideal but that's not exactly possible in today's world. So instead, a  healthy lifestyle, a measured diet without carbonated drinks and fast foods, lots of exercise, meditation, yoga, deep breathing, adequate relaxation, cultivating hobbies, social interactions/communications. Above all stay practical and develop your self and skillsets as per your talent and potential. Do not get caught up in the rat race. 

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Aasra-Facebook in Livemint, Indian Express, New Indian Express, The Hindu, Khaleej Times

‪#‎aasradotinfo‬ ‪#‎samaritandsUK‬ ‪#‎BefriendersWorldwide‬ ‪#‎IASP‬ ‪#‎AFSP‬ ‪#‎WHO‬ ‪#‎UN‬ ‪#‎INFOTES‬ ‪#‎Aasra24x7helpline912227546669ForDepressedAndSuicidal‬

http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/i8JYzKjXoQqBh66DlGX6nO/Facebook-can-help-your-friends-with-suicidal-tendencies.html



25 June 2016 | E-Paper




Facebook unveils tools to prevent suicide in India

Facebook has tied-up with two Indian NGOs to provide help to people who give some hint of being depressed and suicidal on their social media profile

Facebook has tied-up with non-profit organisations AASRA and the Live Love Laugh Foundation. Photo: Ramesh Pathania/Mint
Facebook has tied-up with non-profit organisations AASRA and the Live Love Laugh Foundation. Photo: Ramesh Pathania/Mint‪#‎aasradotinfo‬ ‪#‎samaritandsUK‬ ‪#‎BefriendersWorldwide‬ ‪#‎IASP‬ ‪#‎AFSP‬ ‪#‎WHO‬ ‪#‎UN‬ ‪#‎INFOTES‬ ‪#‎Aasra24x7helpline91222754666‪#‎aasradotinfo‬ ‪#‎samaritandsUK‬ ‪#‎BefriendersWorldwide‬ ‪#‎IASP‬ ‪#‎AFSP‬ ‪#‎WHO‬ ‪#‎UN‬ ‪#‎INFOTES‬ ‪#‎Aasra24x7helpline912227546669ForDepressedAndSuicidal‬
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/technology/facebook-rolls-out-updated-suicide-prevention-tools-in-india9ForDepressedAndSuicidal‬
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/technology/facebook-rolls-out-updated-suicide-prevention-tools-in-indiaA 42-year-old engineer in Gurgaon on Tuesday posted a photo of his slit wrist, a suicide note, and recorded video on Facebook to inform the world that he was taking his life. In 2015, a young doctor from Delhi posted a suicide note on Facebook before killing herself.
Many people tend to give out advance signals of their intention to commit suicide. With the emergence of social media and users’ willingness to express freely on them, there have been many cases of people baring their stress and depression online, often alerting their friends.
Facebook has tied-up with help groups such as Samaritans and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the US, where users can report a suicide threat or post by anyone. One has to attach a screenshot of the post, mention the URL and the user name of the concerned person at Facebook help page. These service groups then reach out to the user to understand how they feel and reassure them that things can be right again.
In India, Facebook has now made similar tie-ups with non-profit organisations AASRA and the Live Love Laugh Foundation to deliver similar services to Indian users.
Live Love Laugh Foundation is a Bengaluru-based organisation which work on awareness on mental health issues by engaging with organisations and professionals. It is founded and run by Actor Deepika Padukone. AASRA is a Mumbai-based NGO which provides 24-hour support to people with suicidal tendencies.
How it works
If you detect something alarming about a friend’s post, you can report it to these two NGOs directly, or put them on the Facebook help page. At Facebook, special staff will scan the reported incidents and respond by alerting the staff from the NGOs. Facebook claims the monitoring will be active throughout the day everyday in a week, which means you can report any incident any time.
On Facebook, you can access it by going to Settings> Help -> Visit the Help Center -> Safety tools and Resources -> Suicide Prevention -> How do I report Suicidal content to Facebook -> Suicide hotline.
You can also reach out to AASRA directly at 022-27546669 and The Live Love Laugh Foundation at 022-25521111 or email at icall@tiss.edu
One of the issues with social networks is to identify a serious threat from a prank. Often, the message is too subtly put that they are misread. Facebook has launched another campaign called Help a Friend in Need Guide in collaboration with AASRA. This is actually meant to help a Facebook user recognize signs of distress in a post and help them handle the situation on their own.
Guidance will be provided not just in English and Hindi, but in Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi and Marathi.
The Gurgaon engineer survived because his Facebook friends spotted the message on time and alerted others who rushed him to a hospital. With its new initiative, Facebook hopes to help more people save lives in a systematic manner.