10 th September - World Suicide Prevention Day

• On average, almost 3000 people commit suicide daily

• India occupies the second highest rate of suicides in the Region.

• More than one lakh lives are lost every year to suicide in our country.

• In the last two decades, the suicide rate has increased from 7.9 to 10.3
per 100,000.

• While 89000 persons committed suicide in 1995

• the number increased to 96 000 in 1997

• 104 000 in 1998, an increase of 25% compared to the previous year.

Indian Army

August 18:
Overall, there have been a staggering 495 cases of suicide and 25 cases of
fratricide in the armed forces over the past four year.

Some 170 armed forces personnel have committed suicide in the last 19
months, 111 suicide cases by armed forces personnel were reported in 2009
while till July this year, 59 such case have been reported.He said a number of
steps were being taken to reduce the stress on armed forces
personnel.These, he said, include counselling on stress management by
trained and qualified psychiatrists and utilisation of religious teachers to
counsel troops.

“Stress related issues are being addressed by the commanders through

group discussions, workshops, counselling sessions and stress management
courses,” he said, adding leave policy has also been “liberalised”.“All
personnel returning to unit after leave are interviewed and medically
examined by the regimental medical officer. Any stress marker is looked for
and motivational talk is rendered,” he said.

• Since 2004, 282 soldiers have been killed in attacks.

• Since 2004, 408 soldiers have taken their lives, killed colleagues or
died after colleagues ran amok.
• Of the 408 soldiers, 333 killed themselves
• 2005, 2006, 2007 more than 1000 killed themselves.
• Of the total cases, 412 suicides and 24 fratricides were reported from
the army, 76 suicides and one fratricide were reported from the air
forces and seven suicides were reported from the navy.

Suicide Warning Signs

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 About 75 percent of those who die by suicide do exhibit some suicide
warning signs, so we need to be aware of what the suicide warning
signs are and try to spot them in people. If we do see someone
exhibiting suicide warning signs, we need to do everything that we can
to help them

• Appearing depressed or sad most of the time.

(Untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide.)
• Talking or writing about death or suicide.
• Withdrawing from family and friends.
• Feeling hopeless.
• Feeling helpless.
• Feeling strong anger or rage.
• Feeling trapped -- like there is no way out of a situation.
• Experiencing dramatic mood changes.
• Abusing drugs or alcohol.
• Exhibiting a change in personality.
• Acting impulsively.
• Losing interest in most activities.
• Experiencing a change in sleeping habits.
• Experiencing a change in eating habits.
• Losing interest in most activities.
• Performing poorly at work or in school.
• Giving away prized possessions.
• Writing a will.
• Feeling excessive guilt or shame.
• Acting recklessly
• In India, nearly 10-20% of suicide victims had seen a physician
a few days prior to the act.
• Always take suicide warning signs seriously

Causes of suicide: DEPRESSION IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF

SUICIDE

Mental disorders (particularly depression and alcohol use disorders) are a

major risk factor for suicide in Europe and North America; however, in Asian
countries impulsiveness plays an important role. Suicide is complex with
psychological, social, biological, cultural and environmental factors involved.

Alcohol dependence and abuse were found in 35% of suicides.

Some of the negative life experiences that may cause depression, and some
other causes for depression, include:

• The death of a loved one.

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 • A divorce, separation, or breakup of a relationship.
• Losing custody of children, or feeling that a child custody decision is
not fair.
• A serious loss, such as a loss of a job, house, or money.
• A serious illness.
• A terminal illness.
• A serious accident.
• Chronic physical pain.
• Intense emotional pain.
• Loss of hope.
• Being victimized (domestic violence, rape, assault, etc).
• A loved one being victimized (child murder, child molestation,
kidnapping, murder, rape, assault, etc.).
• Physical abuse.
• Verbal abuse.
• Sexual abuse.
• Unresolved abuse (of any kind) from the past.
• Feeling "trapped" in a situation perceived as negative.
• Feeling that things will never "get better."
• Feeling helpless.
• Serious legal problems, such as criminal prosecution or incarceration.
• Feeling "taken advantage of."
• Inability to deal with a perceived "humiliating" situation.
• Inability to deal with a perceived "failure."
• Alcohol abuse.
• Drug abuse.
• A feeling of not being accepted by family, friends, or society.
• A horrible disappointment.
• Feeling like one has not lived up to his or her high expectations or
those of another.
• Bullying. (Adults, as well as children, can be bullied.)
• Low self-esteem

RAPE, DIVORCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ABUSE, POVERTY,

UNEMPLOYMENT, DEBTS, EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS

SPECIFIC TO ARMED FORCES:

• Lack of adequate home leave

• Low morale
• Bad service conditions
• Unattractive pay
• Communication gap with superiors. Toquote from the article: “Soldiers
get angry when they are denied leave and their officers themselves
take time off. It triggers a reaction, they are well armed and they take
their own lives.”
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 • Anger that comes from family problems, poor relation with
colleagues ,less payments ,ill treat by seniors, fear of future after
retirement, less conection between senior officers.

Myths about suicide

1. People who talk about it don't commit suicide

Most people who kill themselves have given definite warnings of their
intentions

2. People who talk about suicide are just trying to get attention.

People who die by suicide usually talk about it first. They are in pain and
oftentimes reach out for help because they do not know what to do and have
lost hope. Always take talk about suicide seriously. Always.

3. Suicidal people are absolutely intent upon dying

Most suicidal people are ambivalent about living or dying; they gamble with
death but may retain some desire to live

4. Suicide happens without warning

Suicidal people often give indications of their thoughts (sometimes before

the thoughts have become intentions) by words or actions

5. Once a person becomes suicidal he remains suicidal forever

Suicidal thoughts may return, but they are not permanent, and in some
people they may never return

6. Once people decide to die by suicide, there is nothing you can do to

stop them.

Suicide can be prevented. Most people who are suicidal do not want to die;
they just want to stop their pain.

7. After a crisis, improvement means that the suicide risk is over

Many suicides occur in a period of improvement, when the person has the
energy and will to turn despairing thoughts into self-destructive action

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 8. The suicidal person wants to die and feels that there is no turning
back.

Suicidal people are usually ambivalent about dying and frequently will seek
help immediately after attempting the harm themselves.

9. Suicide occurs mainly in the poor/rich

Suicide occurs in all groups of society

10. Suicidal behaviour is a sign of mental illness

Suicidal behaviour indicates deep unhappiness but not necessarily mental

illness

11. You are either the suicidal type or you are not and that is it

It could happen to anybody.

12. Only others commit suicide. It will not happen to me.

Everyone has a fleeting thought of ending his/her life in a crisis situation, but
not everyone pursues the thought. When these thoughts and wishes become
repetitive, progressive, cumulative and interfere with one’s activities, suicide
is likely.

13. You should never ask people who are suicidal person if they are
thinking about suicide or if they have thought about a method,
because just talking about it will give them the idea.

Asking people if they are thinking about suicide does not give them the idea
for suicide. And it is important to talk about suicide with people who are
suicidal because you will learn more about their mindset and intentions, and
allow them to diffuse some of the tension that is causing their suicidal
feelings.

14. Strong minds and confident people never attempt suicide. Only weak
minds do.

Strong minds do not exist. Each one of us can suffer from sadness and
depression, and attempt suicide, though some are definitely more vulnerable
than others.

15. Suicide attempts should be hushed up and treated by close friends and
relatives
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Suicide attempts should be always informed to the police and a
psychiatrist/counsellor's examination will help treat the cause and prevent
further attempts. Friends, relatives can assist in the treatment.

16. Those around someone who has had a suicide loss shouldn't talk about
it. –

Ignoring loss is denying loss. It should not be given "the silent treatment."
Hurtful or stigmatizing comments about suicide should be avoided, but
talking about the loss with a survivor can be very supportive.

Suicide Prevention

• The view that suicide cannot be prevented is commonly held even

among health professionals. Many beliefs may explain this negative
attitude. Chief among these is that suicide is a personal matter that
should be left for the individual to decide.

• Another belief is that suicide cannot be prevented because its major

determinants are social and environmental factors such as
unemployment over which an individual has relatively little control.

• However, for the overwhelming majority who engage in suicidal

behaviour, there is a probably an appropriate alternative resolution of
the precipitating problems. Suicide is often a permanent solution to a
temporary problem.

• If someone tells you that he or she is suicidal, and then tells you not to
tell anyone, you must tell other people, and you must get help for the
person immediately. Don’t feel guilty of breaching confidence. Don’t
think that the person just wants attention

• If you are in intense emotional and/or physical pain, remember that

your judgment is being clouded by that pain. If you are considering
suicide, you are trying to end that pain. Please do not confuse ending
your pain with ending your life. The two are very different.

• Some people erroneously believe that they can simply use will power
to control their suicidal feelings. The problem with this thinking is that,
again, there is probably a chemical imbalance in the brain. And that
needs to be treated with medicine.

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• If you had a broken leg, would you get treatment or would you just
keep walking on it, writhing in pain, and trying to convince yourself
that you just needed will power to overcome the pain? You would get
treatment, and you would do so immediately. You would not even think
twice about it.

• The situation is similar. If one is diagnosed with clinical depression, or

something similar, then there is a physical cause for the condition. And
he/she needs to seek treatment immediately.

• It is not just emotion. The brain, after all, is an organ. And sometimes
needs treatment.

• 1991-96- cases on increase in training establishments

• 1997-2003- training to mentors
• 1999- reduced rate