World Mental Health Day: An opening to address suicidal issues

PC THOMAS

World Mental Health Day is observed on 10th October every year, with the key objective of raising awareness of mental health issues surrounding the people and organizing endeavors in support of mental health across the world. In the light of multiple mental health issues, quite relevantly, the number of people thinking about suicide or doing self-sacrifice has risen dramatically in the Indian context. It attributes reasons such as diseases, love affairs, divorce, marriage failures, extra-marital affairs, or any other issues with the people, which play a crucial role mainly in the suicide of people in India. Sexually abused suicide attempters have also risen dramatically at the state-to-state level, partially in the lockdown period.

Mental issues in children have been on the rise in recent times.  Every year after the Board examination, we hear about students who are ending their lives because they feel they are unable to live up to the expectations of their families.  Lockdown triggered emotional strain among children as they are not getting to close together with their peers at school, which remain closed in the wake of the pandemic.

On the arrival of COVID-19, mental and substance use disorders have increased by over 50% in the past 25 years. Suicides are rampant everywhere because anxiety levels are very high in most cases. However, all these incidents help us understand that every suicide is tragic and is recognized as a mental health, public, or social issue in almost every country, and it needs to be addressed.

Also Read: searching-suicidal-behavior-in-children

While searching for common causes of suicide, a few things are definitely clear and need minimal explanation. All suicides are based on mental imbalance or a cry for help. All suicides are mostly planned and well-contemplated, as well as connected to a reason that remains unexplained in most cases. There can’t be a fixed reason;n rather, there are several factors that contribute to the fatal act.

The question of debate that arises in the midst of suicide cases is how we would deal with the situation.  Why is mental imbalance still a taboo in our society? Why is depression, which could be indicative of suicidal behavior, is not taken seriously? And lastly, why are caste, gender, social status or popularity are the criteria for labelling or judging someone’s suicide?.

Also Read- keep-mental-health-while-social-distancing

This year’s World Mental Health Day comes at a time when our day-to-day lives have changed considerably because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are several challenges facing us now, as a large number of people are trapped in difficulties in different sectors, with limited protection from COVID-19. For skilled laborers whose livelihoods are threatened. A good percentage of the workforce in Indian companies suffers from some or the other form of stress.  Students, adjusting to emotional well-being conditions, encounter much more social separation than before.  These are major factors that can affect mental issues. Therefore, taking care of the mental health of people in this critical age is paramount and needs to be seriously addressed on World Mental Health Day.