School of Sciences, Jain (Deemed-to-be University) Organized a Workshop on 'Helpie for Suicide Case'

18 Sep 2017

As a part of Learn2Apply series, School of Sciences, Jain (Deemed-to-be University) organized a workshop on 'Helpie for Suicide Case' on 9 September, 2017. The speaker of the day was Dr. Mohan Sunil Kumar, Chief Psychiatrist at Augmenta Health.

The objective of the workshop was to create awareness among students about suicide which is spreading widely, and also discuss its early identification and prevention thus creating healthier minds and communities.

Highlighting the current statistics surrounding suicide, the speaker said that as per reports from WHO, every 40 seconds, an individual commits suicide across the globe which is alarming. By the year 2020, the rate of suicide is going to be 1 person every 20 seconds. This indicates that every 2 seconds, someone in some corner of this world is attempting to commit suicide.

Emphasizing statistics in India which is equally scary, the speaker stated that about 1.4 lakh people commit suicide every year that means 1 person takes their life every four minutes. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have reported the highest number of suicide cases along with Pondicherry while Bihar has reported the least number of suicides annually.

Further, he said that it has been noted by mental health professionals that the rate of suicide is higher among men. This could be possible because women get more chances to express their emotions than men. This could also be due to the manner of committing suicide, men tend to have access to more lethal measure and means of taking their own life as compared to women.

Focusing on the various researches that have been conducted and are still continuing to find out the reasons that drive people to commit suicide, which is termed as 'suicide clocks', he listed the following most popularly identified reasons:

Poverty
Unemployment
Failure in exam
Academic pressure
Failed relationships
Bankruptcy
Dowry harassment
Physical and mental illness
Family problems

In his talk, he also explained the following process of suicidal ideation which helps the gatekeeper (protector) to recognize the signs:

1. Having ideas regarding committing suicide
2. Planning and preparing
3. Issuing threats
4. Attempting suicide

He also, suggested gatekeepers to observe the following warning signs:

1. Biological Signs
- Loss of appetite
- Irregular sleep patterns
2. Emotional Signs
- Anger
- Depression
- Sad spells
- Anxiety
-Mood fluctuations
3. Behavioral Signs
- Giving away personal belongings
- Setting affairs in order
- Increased substance consumption
- Withdrawal or introversion
- Escapism
- Neglecting self
4. Contextual Signs
- Access to lethal means to end life
- Mental or physical illness
- Physiological or emotional pain
- Social embarrassment

The speakers recommended gatekeepers to take the following actions to prevent a person from committing the suicide:

It is okay to address the issue of suicide verbally to find out the plans of a person
It is important to know the intention behind committing suicide
It is necessary to know the lethal means that the person has access to
It is good to know if the attempt is a suicide or para-suicide
It is vital to respect the other person's boundaries and opinions. An individual may feel further useless if boundaries are not respected
Rapport needs to be established in order to gain trust and closely observe the warning signs
The gatekeeper needs to be calm, composed and non-judgmental
We must remember that crisis management is more important than problem-solving
Practicality must be considered in right, ethical and legal terms

The speaker concluded the session highlighting the importance of being collaborative, cooperative, coordinating and committing ourselves to the cause of suicide prevention and also urged that press, professionals, policymakers, the general public, and politicians must be a part of this drive.