Members of Counselling Psychologists Association have appealed to the government to set up help desks and counselling centres to prevent suicides in Vijayawada.
Association’s State president T.S. Rao made a representation to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday.
As part of the World Suicides Prevention Day on Wednesday, psychiatrists organised counselling sessions at various hospitals and clinics in the city. They explained about the reasons for suicides and the measures to prevent them.
The representation submitted to Mr. Naidu drew his attention to the many suicides occurring in Vijayawada and its neighbouring areas and attributed them to the large number of educational institutions in this area. It said that many students resorted to the extreme step under exam stress and at the time of the announcement of results.
“Every hour, at least 15 persons commit suicides in India and of them, 62 per cent are aged between 20 and 25 years. West Bengal is on the top with 11.9 per cent suicides, followed by 11.8 per cent in Andhra Pradesh (A.P. and Telangana). As per studies, more than 1 lakh people resort to forcible deaths every year,” said the association president.
Explaining the reasons, he said it could range from causes like insult by parents, family members or their well-wishers, differences between couples, love failure, addiction to drugs, frustration, stress and inability to cope with education, humiliation in schools, colleges and hostels and crop failure.
“Persons who have suicidal tendencies can be identified and psychiatrists can save their lives by counselling them. We request Mr. Naidu to set up counselling centres in Government General Hospital, Acharya Nagarjuna University, NTR Health University and at other NGO homes,” Dr. Rao said.
The management of P.B. Siddhartha College of Arts and Science, meanwhile, organised a lecture on ‘Prevention of Suicides’ on the college campus. Students of various groups attended the programme.