Why India has such a high Suicide rate and what can we do about it?

More than a lakh people commit suicide in India in a year. This is an alarming number and therefore it is extremely important to understand why this is happening. According to the data published by NCRB in 2021, people with poor financial stability, students and small entrepreneurs were most susceptible to dying by suicide specifically post pandemic. A major reason behind this could be because it is this section of society that experiences prolonged amount of stress without any help. When we talk about the gender ratio, women tend to commit suicide more often than men, specifically house wives. There can be social reasons for that and it can be viewed as a result of archaic societal norms and expectations. We also know that around 90% of people who die by suicide have either a diagnosed or undiagnosed mental condition.

The stigma that is associated with suicide and other mental health issues in our country adds to all of these existing factors and makes the suicide rate even higher. If people are having suicidal thoughts ,they hesitate in reaching out because they believe they will be judged for it.

So the first step in trying to bring the number of suicides in India down is to try and tackle the stigma and create awareness about it. Talking about any issue makes it less of a taboo and it will be easier for people to reach out in a society that will feel less judgmental. Also it is important to understand that majority of people who engage in suicidal behavior, there is most probably an appropriate alternative solution of their current problem. Hence to create this level of psycho-awareness that feeling suicidal might feel like the end of the life but it is actually not, will be really helpful in suicide prevention. Such psycho awareness can take place by having workshops around suicide and suicide prevention in schools, colleges and workplaces.

It is also equally important to have efficient  helplines running 24X7 which people should be made aware about. These helplines should have trained professionals who can talk people off the ledge.

At a more micro level, we also need to realize that a lot of times, suicide results from a mental health issue not being addressed from its early stage. Hence seeking help be it from a mental health professional or a close one can also be very helpful in bringing down the number of suicides.

To conclude, a more prepared and judgement free society is what is needed to save lives of people dealing with suicidal thoughts.

– Written by Mansi Nagpal (Team member, The PsyK- Life)