A minor reprimand from his boss pushed Rajesh (name changed) to take his own life.
His family is yet to come to terms with his death for he had not shown any signs of distress even hours before he took the fatal step. It was quite late by the time his family realised that Rajesh, despite having a number of friends, had not shared his worries with anyone.
‘Thanal’ is for those like Rajesh who just need someone to hear them out patiently. The crisis intervention and suicide prevention centre, set up by the Kozhikode Branch of the Indian Medical Association, has been delivering commendable service for the last 17 years and imparting hope to people on the verge of suicide.
Complete anonymity is a major attraction at Thanal. The helpline, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., is managed by capable volunteers who ‘befriend’ the caller rather than ‘counsel’ him or her. The caller need not reveal his or her identity and neither does the volunteer.
“We just listen to them and offer emotional support. We do not suggest solutions to their problems, but only guide them to find the solutions themselves,” said a volunteer.
The volunteers help callers dispel negative thoughts and assures them that their secrets are safe with Thanal. “There are people who call repeatedly as they have no one to talk to,” said another volunteer.
A woman volunteer who has been in the service for over a decade said family problems figured among the most prominent reasons that led people to contemplate suicide in Kozhikode district.
The indifferent attitude of husbands leads most women to suicide while for students the reasons are related to education and family pressure. Work pressure and sexuality issues were the most common factors that led men to contemplate suicide, she said.
Mobile awareness unit
The volunteers at Thanal may be contacted either directly or by post or email if not through the helpline number 0495-2760000. Recently, Thanal has begun reaching out to troubled people in their homes. It also provides emotional support, upon request, to families when a dear one commits suicide. It also runs Punarjani, a mobile awareness unit.
On the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day on Sunday, Thanal organised an exhibition to create awareness on suicide prevention.
