S – Suicide

courtesy Google

Sonu (name changed) has completed her Msc final exam and is so happy to get back to her native place; it was her dream to study in a prestigious college at Hyderabad for two full years; now she is returning back to her home town.

Sonu’s mother had come to pick her up, and has been staying with her for the last 3 days.  Their tickets are booked in advance, and it’s time for Sonu to pack her bags and bid good bye to her friends. Her mother being a great devotee of sarswathi, goes to the temple to thank the goddesses for helping her daughter complete the exams, reaches the temple takes the blessings, and returns to the room, only to find her daughter hanging from the ceiling fan.   

Not knowing  what to do, she cries and alerts those around her, and soon Sonu’s friends and her teachers come to her help, police complain is made, and Sonu’s body was taken for post mortem.

The post mortem revealed cuts and bruises all over Sonu’s body, to prove that she had suicidal tendencies.  The saddest part of the story is that Sonu’s friends saw the cuts so many times at different parts of the body, so visible, yet could not identify it was suicidal sign.

Sonu’s teachers too were astounded at what had happened, and they found it difficult to accept the reality. On further exploration, it was found that Sonu was in love with a boy from her native town, and they always had something to fight about, every time, she was disturbed, she tried to harm herself with whatever came in her hands, some times it was knife, some time fork, and other times it was blade or compass. Whenever her friends tried to ask her about the marks, she would lie and give excuses of having fallen down, or something hit her, or she had an accident etc.

Sonu’s mother returned back heartbroken to their native town, without Sonu completely shattered, the sorrow was so great, that she became totally unstable and had to be helped to reach safely.

Suicide is the most preventable form of death, and there is an Increasing rates of suicide, every day. The first year intermediate results are out today at hyderabad, and these youngsters unable to face family, out of fear and shame have resorted to suicide.  Today’s news paper states almost 5 – 6 suicides all of them aged 16 years. I was upset this morning, and decided to post on this subject, which is becoming a burning issue.

It is said that persons thinking about suicide almost always make their intentions known. We do not want to talk about it, mainly because we are frightened, and its fear and discomfort that keeps us from talking about it. Let us break the silence and spread the message to those around us, for we have a great role, in preventing suicides by being the first line of defense against the most preventable form of death.  So how do we identify persons with suicidal tendencies, and what do we look for:

In general look for verbal cues, wherein the person says directly he/she is sick of life, wants to kill, or wishing to death, these clues could be directly given or indirectly said.

Another important clue is the behavioral clue, wherein the persons is depressed, moody, acquires pills,  poison, is on drugs/alcohol, sudden change in the behaviour, is a sure sign to identify, something is wrong. 

The third most important clue is the situational clues, wherein there is divorce in the family, suicide in the family, losing a job, pet or a person, serious mental or physical illness are some of the signs.

What can we do:  Remember 3 simple a’s

• Ask    - meaning ask the person whether he/she is thinking of suicide directly or indirectly. Get the person to talk about it, and you will find that there is a possibility of threat, and he/she is contemplating suicide...              

• Appeal to the person to stay alive- Remember, suicide is not the problem, only the solution to a perceived insoluble problem

• Assist - Best Option: Have the person go IMMEDIATELY to the emergency room/hospital with some one else. Next Best Option: Have the person call and make an appointment with a counselor immediately after speaking with you. Third Option: Get a “good faith commitment” that they will call

 Who can you call? In Hyderabad the following numbers can be a

Sahayam, Osmania University’s Psychological counseling centre 040-27682451. G Angela 8978191578

Dr Diana Monteiro 90002-34262, Hyderabad Academy of Psychology: 32578899

Dr. Pragya Rashmi 92474-32497

Sujata Raman 98480-43200

Asha Hospital 040-66752222‎

Makro Foundation – 040 -46004600 .info@makrofoundation.org

Roshini Counseling centre -+91 40 6666 1117, +91 40 6666 1118

Let us Join hands to protect our youngsters

Today I'm on S of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge.