World Suicide Prevention Day
A recent Instagram post from WHO reveals that “Every 40 seconds, someone dies by suicide, this results the stats that close to 800,000 people die by suicide every year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15–29 years old.”
Global Health Observatory (GHO) data states that “ The global Male:Female ratio of age-standardized suicide rates was 1.8 in 2016, meaning there were more male suicides than female suicides” per 100,000 population.
The report of World Population Review 2020 shows that the eastern European country of Lithuania ranks first with highest toll of death by suicides that is 31.9 suicides per 100,000 population while Antigua and Barbuda ranks the last i.e the 183rd position with 0.5 suicides per 100,000 population. Nepal rests at rank 81 with 8.8 suicides per 100,000 population. In Nepal, the male suicide rate is 9.7 and the female suicide rate is 7.9 per 100,000 population that results 2,472 deaths by suicide each year. The number is devastating given the population of the country.
The article by Ashim Neupane reads- “During the lockdown, a total of 2,218 people committed suicide, a staggering rise in the cases. The number shows that at least 20 people committed suicide every day during the lockdown compared to 15 suicide cases a day in the last year.”
All these data and reports suggest that the young adults, and males among them tend to commit suicide more. Taking away own life is a disastrous thing to do, but what makes them take such step?
Is it because of the lack of mental health awareness? Or because people do not seek help? Or is it because of people like us and the society we live in?
Well, I feel that the reason for more male committing suicide is because the way they are brought up. From our early childhood, the boys are expected to become strong, they are taught to not cry, they are trained to hide their emotions. This hampers the growth of a male child and later it develops as the inbuilt character. With this training that they received, they are reluctant to share their feelings, they hesitate to open up. This leads to depression and frustration that could lead to suicide. While the females are generally talkative, open to sharing their feelings and emotions and are vocal about their state of mind as compared to the male. The another reason could be the burden they carry, the baggage that they cannot put down, the weights of the career, the weight to be the head of the family, the weight to satisfy and fulfill the needs of his spouse and children and the weight of the failures, moreover the guilt.
Whereas the reports suggest that the suicides of females are mostly because of the assault, rape and domestic violence, forced marriage and forced pregnancy.
Having said this, we see hundreds of posts flooding over the social medias, the motivational quotes, the posts that say “Please reach out to me, I am here to listen”, the suicide helpline numbers and many more. But are we really looking for the same? Deep down we all know that the person will be annoyed and irritated and nobody, not even me, have the patience to listen to anyone’s problem each day, every moment. This, I believe, is the harsh reality.
We never know what the other person is going through. The comments on social media these days and also in person hampers an individuals life. We might never know how we could be leading a person to feel worthless and end their lives. The person could be going through so much pain and suffering, standing on the edge of whether it is worth living. We, unaware of it, pass a comment, that could possibly push them down the cliff. ALAS!
A positive comment that we pass, a simple hi that you say, a causal smile, small praise about them, a wave of bye saying that you wish to meet soon, a small help that we could do, a little kind way that we could behave would not cost us anything. But if deprived of these, it could cost a person’s life.
It is not only about others. We don’t even know what WE are going through. We are so busy that we do not have time in our hectic schedules for ourselves. I believe, self realization- What do I feel? Am I happy? Am I in good health? Am I keeping up with myself? are the most important answers that we should seek.
This very day, I propose the toast to myself as I promise to help anyone in need and listen if you reach out. I promise to not say anything at all if I can’t say anything positive. I promise of reach out and not keep my emotions, my feelings, my storied of ups and down to myself and share it with my closed ones. I promise to advocate mental health doing my bit and schedule time for me in my schedule.
I pledge all of you to do your smallest bit. Do not get affected by what others have to say about you because the ones who love you and care for you will never say any evil and the ones who do are never yours.
Lastly, it is life that we are talking about. It is about getting to live. Living life with our heads held high. Living in peace and not in sigh. Living for you and the ones around you. Living because life is precious. Living, Because LIFE DOES MATTER!
