S. Vasudeva, psychiatrist, said that awareness and education were the best means of preventing suicides. He was speaking at a programme to mark World Suicide Prevention Day here on Thursday. The District Legal Services Authority and other organisations had jointly organised it.
Dr. Vasudev said that nearly 75 per cent of suicides could be brought down by creating awareness. And, teachers, police personnel, nurses and healthcare professionals among others should be taught counselling methods so that they can talk to people with suicidal tendencies and help prevent suicides. According to Dr. Vasudev, people should listen to those with suicidal tendency and make them feel cared for. Media also should take care while reporting suicide cases. Delivering a lecture on the causes of suicide, P.V. Bhandary, psychiatrist, said that three ‘A’s – alcohol, adolescence and agriculture appeared to be major causes for suicide. Nearly 33 per cent of alcoholics committed suicide. Number of farmers committing suicide was increasing. There were socio-economic causes for suicide.
Depression, mood disorders, past suicide attempt, temperament, low self-esteem, broken families, disturbed parent-child relationship, family history of mental illness, inappropriate parental expectations, academic performance, and adverse life experiences are also some of the causes. And, very often multiple factors may become the cause of suicide.
Most people with suicidal tendency give out clues and signs about committing suicide. Men are more likely to kill themselves than women, but women attempt suicide three times more than men, Dr. Bhandary added.
Savitha S. Kotian, ZP president, said that as joint family had become almost non-existent now, it had removed ‘shock absorbers’ in society. Nuclear families being common these days, due to work pressure many times family members do not communicate enough with one another. That also is yet another reason for rising incidence of cases of suicide.
District and Sessions Judge Shivashankar B. Amarannavar inaugurated the programme. Taluk Panchayat president Sunita Naik, Udupi Bar Council president Dayananda K., and District Health and Family Welfare Officer Rohini were among those present.
