Suicide among men on the rise

Hyderabad: A recent study indicates an alarming rise in suicidal tendencies among men compared to women. More worrying is the fact that the reasons for suicides are becoming more and more trivial, sometimes just a joke played on them or small tiffs at workplaces. Observations made as part of a sample study conducted by the Dhrithi Psychological Wellness Centre indicated that many men chose to commit suicide instead of getting back to life and many also shied away from visiting counselors.

As per NCRB data, in 2013, Andhra Pradesh stood fourth across the country, with a total of 12,328 suicides recorded in one year. The data also revealed that an average of 15 suicides per hour, or 371 per day, had taken place, of which 242 were males and 129 were female. As per WHO data, there has been a 17 per cent increase in the number of suicides globally among teenagers as well and a 33 per cent increase in suicide attempts in the past five years. “The number of suicide attempts is always higher among men, whereas women are more successful at committing suicides,” said Purnima Nagaraja, consultant psychiatrist at Dhrithi Psychological Wellness Centre.

“From promotions, to hikes, lifestyle, family issues, problems at home, kids and their future, ambitions and sometimes even not being able to buy jewellery for their wives become the starting point of chronic depression. Survival instinct is no longer important and death is the easy way out. There is this new pattern of thought on the need to die,” she said. The study also shockingly revealed that not even a single person from the sample group was happy with life, and that everyone had contemplated suicide at least once. “There was dissatisfaction everywhere. Many asked why should they choose to live when they’d rather die. They would have long periods of introspection and depression before they decided that it’s the only way out. The stress levels are so high that nothing gives them pleasure, not even achieving larger life goals.”

Many human rights experts and lawyers are stressing on proper implementation of the Mental Health Care Bill that was cleared last year. “The Bill decriminalises acts of suicide and states that people who attempt suicide would be treated as mentally ill unless proven otherwise and will be exempted from the provisions of Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code. They are recommended immediate mental health care,” said Rajkumar Singhi, a human rights expert.