Suicide Prevention
On the occasion of International Suicide Prevention Day
(September 10), Dr. Atul Dhage, a psychiatrist, sexologist, de-addiction
specialist and certified psychotherapist and counsellor, has written an
article. He has expressed himself on behalf of Mindcare Hospital, Ratnagiri.
Please do make it point to take some time out and read also
feel free to share it with your near and dear ones.
Suicide
Suicide doesn’t happen in a day or in a moment. Many times,
some people around us are actually thinking and planning about committing
suicide before they commit it. Sometimes they are nearing their decision to do
so by each passing moment. Often there are signals hidden in form of specific
behavioural conduct. Strange it may sound, but they are actually calling for
help through such signals. But we are so engrossed in ourselves that we don't even
realize it. We even try to offer comfort to them by saying some stereotype
dialogues like “Everything will be fine!”, “Don't worry!”, “No one has a
perfect life” etc and the list of such lame sentences go on and on. But when
this troubled soul commits suicide, we are stunned. We wonder why such a thing
must have happened? or what must have happened that compelled him to take this
decision? or even that you never thought that this person would do anything of
this sort? Or sometimes you may feel you must have taken his words and behavior seriously.
The concerns are, Can we identify such signals? If yes, then how do we
identify them? How can we stop suicides?
Just a while back, a dynamic and dashing police officer and
later on a spiritual guru committed suicide. A dashing and heroic police
officer committed suicide as he got tired and fed up of his ailing due to
cancer. The other person in spite of being a spiritual guru, he committed
suicide over martial issues. What can be the possible reason for such people to
commit suicide in spite of being so strong physically and mentally?
In fact, the root of this answer lies in the question
itself. They were people. They were human beings. There work and dedication in
their field had bought them to a very high stature in the society. To some the
spiritual guru must have attained the same stature of that of a saint or even
god. But we need to understand it was their work, their contribution, their
sacrifice towards attaining that successful position in life. But underneath
all of that, they were both just simple human beings. As human as one of us.
So, when the secretion of insulin reduces, a human being would suffer from
diabetes. Similarly, when the secretion of serotonin reduces, a person suffers
from depression. Reason could be anything like social pressure, professional
pressure or even financial instability. But what we need to recognize is that
‘Depression’ is a disease. I have heard people saying everywhere that family
pressure has caused someone to commit suicide but they miss a point here. Its
not the problem that had caused this, it the depression that has caused
suicide. And depression is such a disease that it can affect any one of us may
it be a police officer or a spiritual guru.
Does this mean that a mentally or emotionally strong person
can succumb to depression?
Well, Yes, Even the
most mentally strong person can fall prey to depression. Because, depression is
not always because of physical or mental reasons, it can also be biological or
genetic.
Does it mean that a person does not commit suicide due to
financial reasons, personal problems, family dissatisfaction, diseases like
cancer?
No, above mentioned are the reasons for a person to feel
upset, anxious or even sad. But they are not the reasons to commit suicide and
if such is the case then every person facing a similar situation should have
committed suicide. But that is not the case. What happens is, when such reasons
grow stronger and the capacity of a person to deal with such issues reduces.
The way he starts handling his problems affect the secretion of cortisol in the
body and serotonin in the brain reduces. The condition we call as ‘depression’.
+When such levels remain low for a longer period of time and when they are not
treated, the patient losses his ability to handle pressure and problems. Thus,
due to untreated depression the person gives in and commits suicide.
What exactly is depression? Is it really a disease?
In order to understand this question, you need to know that
there is a difference in feeling depressed and the disease of depression. It’s
quite natural to feel sad and depressed when something doesn’t happen as you
planned it or in case of some problem due to which things don’t happen as you
wish. But this feeling of depression is short lived. You tend to heal yourself
and you are back to normal in few days. When this feeling is not for a long
period it does not affect your personal life, professional life, your
relationships, your sleep and hunger.
Problem is when such feeling of sadness continues for over a period of
15 days and you constantly feel depressed, angry, sad, cannot feel happy about
anything and then it starts affecting your personal life, professional life and
your health. It is for sure a symptom of depression as a disease.
So, what are the symptoms of this depression? How to
recognize it?
As I mentioned earlier, If you are constantly feeling
depressed and along with that if you don’t feel hungry or can’t sleep, or can’t
find happiness even in your favourite things, can’t concentrate on anything,
don’t wish to talk to anyone, want to be left alone and feel like crying most
of the times, then you can be suffering from depression as a disease. Sometimes
a few people may experience constant anger instead sadness as a symptom. When
this feeling hits its peak, the person loses self-worth, loses confidence,
feels worthless, starts feeling that now no one can help him, no one can get
him out of his problem and now life will remain like this forever and that’s
when he starts thinking of committing suicide.
If this is disease, then it must have a cure? Are there
treatments which can prevent suicide? if yes, then what are they?
Indeed. There are so many effective methods and medicines to
treat such patients. With the advancement in the field of research, many drugs
are developed which have proved to be very useful. Along with medication,
psychotherapy is also available. Mild depression can be cured by psychotherapy
alone, but moderate and severe illness requires medication. Electroconvulsive
therapy (ECT) which is called as shock treatment by layman is sometimes used to
treat severe depression, such as those who are suicidal. Shock is a very good
and safe treatment but there is a lot of misconception about it. Treatment to
prevent suicide is definitely available but the treatment differs according to
the reason or problem the patient is facing.
Are there any diseases other than depression in which a
person commits suicide?
Yes certainly, suicide is just a symptom. There are many
reasons for this. 90-95% of suicides are due to some mental illness. Of these,
only depression (which people think of as stress or due to stress) is known to
people. Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, alcohol and drug addiction and its
consequences that can lead to mental illness, personality disorders and
illnesses, postpartum mental illnesses are the few significant others in the
list. All these can lead a person to commit suicide. It is crucial to find out
the real reason. If you observe certain abnormality in behaviour, communication
pattern, or even in the way a person expresses his emotions and thoughts, you
should instantly connect with a psychiatrist and psychotherapist because
progression in this disease often leads to suicide attempts.
If there are so effective medicines? if we can stop the
suicides? then, why are we not able to contain the number of suicides?
Well. it’s actually quite sad to share but it’s because of
the point of view and the kind of approach and stigma our society has towards
such diseases and patients. People change their prospective about a person if
that person is suffering from some mental illness. He is not treated well. He
is looked at as if he is strange and weird. Patients suffering from BP,
Diabetes or heart troubles rush to the doctor for treatment. They are never
alone when they do so, their loved ones accompany them to the doctor. But when
someone is suffering from the mental illness, the relatives don’t even
accompany the patients, even after my request. What a pity!
This prevents the patients from even going to a
psychiatrist. They worry so much about what others would think and how they
would be left alone if someone knew. Same resistance is observed in case of
prevention of mental illness, we tend to do many things like exercising,
maintaining proper diet to prevent us from physical diseases. But what do we do
to prevent a mental illness??? nothing!!!
When we as a society change our approach, get rid of this
taboo from our mind, start recognizing the symptoms of these diseases and thus
provide the needy with the right treatment at the right time, only then this
gruesome picture will change.
How can the relatives and friends know or identify if a
person is going to commit suicide?
If you observe keenly you might notice such signs through
some changes in the person. Changes in the way he talks, behaves, responds.
Sometimes he would remain upset for a longer period of time, or cries
constantly, or wants to be left alone, such signs should be taken seriously.
Statements like “What if I was never born?”, “What if I die?”, “Why am I still
alive? should never be taken lightly. When someone starts sharing information
about property, high value things, important documents, money or is determined
to prepare a will or is bidding you farewell as if he will never meet you
again, all these are signs where that person might be seriously thinking on
ending his life. Above mentioned signs along with negative mindset about
himself, people around him, situation in present and in future and also if such
person is keeping things like a knife, rope, sleeping pills, gun, etc with him,
you should immediately contact a psychotherapist and take necessary steps to
prevent anything bad from happening.
Earlier you mentioned about prevention of mental illness,
could you please elaborate the same
To end this article, I would like to share few lines by late
Marathi poet Dutta Halasgikar, I am sure these lines will definitely help you
think better
“जगण्या वरती प्रेम कर, जग फार सुंदर आहे.
अवसेच्या काळोखातही, नक्षत्राचे झुंबर आहे.”
Means “Live your life, as life is filled beauty”
“Even in the darkness of moon less night, there is a
chandelier of twilight”
My best wishes to you. May you find a perfect balance to
keep your mental health at its best.
Dr. Atul Dhage,
Neuro-Psychiatrist,Sexologist, de-addiction Specialist and
Certified Psychotherapist and Counsellor.
Mindcare Hospital, Ratnagiri.
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