Counsellors who can lend their ears, round-the-clock, can help bring down suicide rates
Picture for representaional purpose
Coimbatore: It is important for those who are stressed and depressed to pick up the phone and dial someone to whom they can open up their worries; this is where a helpline plays a pivotal role.
With students' suicide on the upward swing and women with familial issues resorting to the extreme step, counsellors who can lend their ears, round-the-clock, can help bring down suicide rates considerably.
TN unfortunately ranks No. 1 in the country in terms of suicides and, hence, it becomes imperative that the city gets a helpline that can help reduce anxiety and stress in victims who are on the verge of ending their lives, said Dr Paranthaman Sethupathi, psychiatrist, KMCH. Psychological support is a must for those who are depressed and fall under the high-risk category in terms of attempting suicide.
Though depression is treatable, the stigma attached to visiting a psychiatrist continues to dog people in India and they seek psychological treatment only when their condition becomes chronic.
As for KMCH, a majority of suicide cases comprises farmers who lose crop yields due to climatic conditions or reel under severe financial crisis. "A premeditated suicide is more dangerous than an impulsive one because in case of farmers, they consume poison when there is no one at home. But in the case of a student who had recently attempted to take his life because of parental pressure in scoring good marks, it was on an impulse that he took his father's syringe, and injected mosquito repellent liquid into his veins. His hand got infected to such an extent that it had to be amputated," Dr Paranthaman said.
Senior psychiatrist P. Balu of Krishna Nursing Home told Deccan Chronicle that depression is the most common cause and studies reveal that 15 per cent of the world's population is likely to get depressed.
Those emotionally sensitive are more prone to the condition and among adults, the triggering factors could be old age ailments, feelings of neglect by the their own kin. He also appealed to policy makers to not consider the arrest of those attempting suicide and ensure that they are treated for their psychological well being.
( Source : dc )
Next Story
