Suicide

The term Suicide refers to when someone chooses to end their life by harming themselves.

The intention is very clear: "To end life".

According to Dr Shachi Patel, the reason people opt for suicide has to be very varied and complex.

However, one thing always remains constant i.e. the intense emotional and physical pain which forces people to choose this path.

It can be very di?cult to understand why people choose these options but suicide is the third leading cause of death in India. The primary reasons were family problems, sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS and it caused a total of 54,000 deaths alone. (research data from the statistical research department- last updated in December 2022).

For youths, the reason was primarily a failure of examinations.

In my opinion, three feelings prompt a person to die by suicide i.e. helplessness, hopelessness and worthlessness.

Before going into the possible paradoxes which lead to suicide, let’s understand how to address someone who has died by suicide. The use of the word commit has been omitted, the reason being, it depicts the person who died by suicide has committed a crime! Let’s ensure, we address a deceased as died by suicide.

There exist many potential reasons why someone chooses suicide as an option to end their lives, here are some major reasons to look upon.

1. Mental Health Issues

To understand the relationship between suicide and mental issues, one has to understand how the issues have affected the quality of life of a person.

Some of the ways how mental health issues can contribute to suicide are:

• Feeling alone, unsupported and misunderstood
• Not having equal access to mental health treatments
• Lack of support from family and friends
• Uncontrollable impulsivity (can be a part of any underlying disorder)
• Not able to maintain relationships and often ending up alone
• Unbearable stress
• Substance abuse
• Illness like Depression/ Personality disorders etc.

2. History of traumatic events

You may ask, all of us go through traumatic events why is everyone not affected? The answer to this question is processing. The ability to process the traumas and get through them is the most important part towards recovery and some people are unable to do it effectively.

People who are not able to process the traumas can have the impact for longer years and develop feelings like guilt, shame, low self-esteem and attachment issues.

Mostly traumatic events are related to childhood which arise due to emotional neglect, the death of a parent, sexual assaults, and bullying. Unfortunately, there can be more factors associated, as for every individual the definition of trauma is different as their emotional threshold is different.

3. Circumstantial changes

This point comes into the picture when a person is deprived of emotional and social support. Lack of support can make it di?cult for a person to cope with daily life stressors or acute stress which can come in any form. Some of the examples are:

• Losing a job.
• Financial troubles
• Legal formalities
• Breakups in any relationships
• Having a debilitating illness

4. Cry for Help

Sometimes they choose this path not because they want to die but because they don’t know how to get help. These acts are usually a cry for help and it is a way of demonstrating how people are suffering.

5. Isolation/ Superficial relationship

Existential isolation is the commonest reason prevailing in society at the moment. Studies suggest that a well-interacted person is at a lesser risk of depression leading to suicide than someone who is existentially isolated and less interactive in social settings. The busy work schedule and superficial relationships have led to less closeness in people and they generally do not find a close one to share or talk to. Emotional isolation can lead to severe depression as it screams for validation and a need to talk to someone on a daily basis.

Conclusion

The reluctance of seeking mental health help has been seen the most in our country. This alone is one of the biggest reasons to succumb to death while struggling with our thoughts, which takes a toll on us.

There can be no single reason for why and when a person chooses to die by suicide. There is always a host of factors including mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders, personality disorders, and drug abuse making a person more susceptible to taking these steps.

Dr Shachi Patel

Dr Shachi Patel is a highly qualified and experienced Consultant Neuropsychologist who has made significant contributions to the field of mental health in India. As the founder of The Mind Clinic-India, She has established a patient-focused practice that prioritises active participation in the development of treatment plans.

At The Mind Clinic-India, Dr Shachi Patel and her team strive to bridge the gap between psychiatry and psychology by combining pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of emotional, behavioural, and cognitive problems. Using a holistic brain-body approach, they aim to provide patients with the highest standard of care possible.

Dr Shachi Patel is committed to developing strong relationships with her patients and their families through empathetic communication, a respectful attitude, and a commitment to confidentiality of information at all times. With her extensive knowledge and experience in the field of neuropsychology, Dr Patel is dedicated to helping her patients achieve optimal mental health and well-being.