Depression coupled with debacles in life driving youth to suicides

Anantapur: Over 1,700 youth committed suicide from the district in the last two years, according to the crime records bureau of district police. Increasing number of people consider suicide as panacea for all their problems. By pressing the suicide button, they are not only sending a wrong message to younger generation but are also letting down those beloved ones who look unto them for security to their life and future.

In 2020 and 2021, 800 and 900 people had taken the extreme step of 'calling it quits' to life and given resignation to life. The reasons are many from love failure to indebtedness and admonishing by parents for being addicted to cell phones to long period of joblessness. While some do not see any hope for coming out of their problems, others are pressing the suicide button unable to come of their impulses caused at the spur of the moment. It was a calculated decision for some to whom life is not promising and do not see light at the other end of tunnel.

Among those resorting to suicides, 70 percent are men and 30 percent are women. In a span of one-week during December 25 to January 1, 2022, about 30 youth committed suicide, according to crime police. Increasing unemployment among engineering students is driving many to suicides. A survey revealed that only 10,000 students out of 2 lakh, who are passing out of colleges are finding jobs and the nation's prospective engineers are settling in meneal jobs and as auto drivers.

No one knows what is happening to 1.90 lakh students, who are adding to the unemployment rate every year. Noted Psychiatrist and managing director of Trinity Psychiatry Centre Vijay Kumar commenting on the spate of 1,700 odd suicides in the district in the past couple of years during an interaction with The Hans India said that depression caused by series of debacles in life is driving many into hopelessness.

The Covid unprecedented situation has further aggravated the problem and plunged many into darkness. Many had slipped into depression during the quarantine and isolation period. In any depressing situation, one can come out of a grief in 10 days and in many cases in 20 days. If one fails to come out of one's grief, pain or depression, it is likely to prolong to months and there are some who fail to come out of depression even after 6 months to one year, such people tend entertain suicidal tendencies.

Many are resorting to the extreme step because of financial difficulties and they fail to see light at the other end of the tunnel. Some women resort to suicide due to extra-marital relationship of her husband. Women plunge into depression when things appear hopeless, stated Vijay Kumar. Family support is crucial for those having suicidal tendencies. The senior psychiatrist adds that even genetic factors play a role in driving many to suicides in a family with a history of committing suicides.

The records suggest that men are psychologically weaker than the socalled weaker sex. Statistics reveal that 70 percent of those resorting to suicides are men and 30 percent are women. Counselling is very important to victims of depression and hopelessness.

The collapse of joint family system has also contributed to the aggravating suicidal tendencies. In joint family system, every person faced struggles of life jointly providing moral and practical support and coming to their rescue jointly and standing by them as a solid rock.

The suiciders must realise that life need not come to a standstill if finances and love fails. Life provides alternatives even to unemployment. Parents too must stop pressurising their children to achieve what they are not designed for. Dreams can fade away but not life, maintained Vijay Kumar.