Mustansir
Srinagar, Aug 23: Two decades back Jammu and Kashmir was the state with lowest suicide rate in whole of India. However, more than 20 years of turmoil and trauma has changed the picture completely with figures increasing exponentially in last three years. Five suicides were reported in a single day on August 22. As per the statistics provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) there was 44.3% increase in suicides in 2012. Independent studies suggest suicide is becoming the second common cause of unnatural death in the Valley. A study conducted by the Department of Psychiatry, GMC Srinagar reveals that on an average 3.5 persons report daily to SMHS causality with suicide , Para suicide and deliberate self harm (DSH) from last 3 years . Most of the people who complete suicide are males of the age group 25 - 34. However, most of the attempts are made by female, 4 times Para suicides and 7 times more deliberate self harm. The study says that the consumption of organ phosphorous like compound is the commonest mode of suicide followed by consumption of other drugs like benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants etc. Immolation as method of suicide is being used increasingly. The study also observes that the violent methods of suicide like cut throat are new phenomenon and predominantly present in people with schizophrenia and severe melancholic depression. All types of suicidal behavior are common in age group 25 - 34 except DSH in females were 63 % are in age group 19 - 24 years. Dr. Arshad Hussain, HOD Psychiatry Department GMC Srinagar, attributes the rising suicidal tendency to psychosocial factors like traumatic stress ,poverty, unemployment to completed suicide in males while domestic violence, multiple traumas, he says, is associated with female sex.Dr. Arshad says that the declining religious values, lack of religious education, nuclearization of families, and ever increasing expectation of performing, unemployment are interacting with chronic conflict stress and ever increasing mental health problems to create a health problem of the magnitude that needs urgent and emergency redressed. |
