Lagatar24 Desk
Every 40 seconds, someone ends their life. Observed annually on the 10th of September, World Suicide Prevention Day aims to raise awareness about suicide prevention and ‘Creating Hope through Action’ with a variety of activities around the world.
The first observance of the day was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). The IASP collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) to host World Suicide Prevention Day.
India has an alarming suicide rate. As of 2019, there were more than 139 thousand deaths reported due to suicide. Out of which 67% fell in the age range of 18-45 years. And more than 45% were due to mental illness such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Experts have constantly talked about the widespread mental health crisis during the pandemic. According to psychiatrist Dr Sameer Malhotra, “Unattended and prolonged signs of depression and anxiety among people during the pandemic led to suicidal thoughts and even prompted some risky behaviors, where people attempted self-harm”. It can even lead to death in some cases.
It’s critical to understand the warning signals and risk factors for suicide. A tiny step taken united may make a big difference.
According to Dr Rachana Awatramani, there are three things you can tell a person who is suicidal-
-I am here for you
-I understand it is difficult situation for you
-Let’s figure out and speak to a professional
It takes a lot of guts to face death, find the willpower and courage to overcome it and pull back from the edge of disaster.
