Increasing number of suicides an alarming in Kashmir valley
SRINAGAR, JUNE 22 (PTK): An increasing number of suicides is an alarming situation in Kashmir valley and a matter of concern these days. It is a social evil and threat to mankind and humanity itself as a whole. Suicide estimates suggest fatalities worldwide could rise to 1.5 million by the year 2020.
Doctors in Kashmir Valley don’t doubt that more than two decades of warfare have left the locals depressed, fatigued, traumatized and broken. The rate of suicide has gone up 26-fold, from .5 per 100,000 before the insurgency to 13 per 100,000 now, says Dr Arshad Hussain, a psychiatrist from the state’s only Psychiatric Diseases Hospital.
Nearly 24,000 men and women, mostly young, have attempted suicide in the last 17 years in Kashmir. Of them about 3,000 have been successful. Shockingly, most of them were between the age of 16 and 25. The figures point to a psychological catastrophe in the conflict-ridden Kashmir Valley.
According to studies 79 per cent of the urban and rural population in the Valley suffers from depression. Anxiety, stress and depression are some of the factors that contribute to suicide. Suicide is also more prevalent in teenagers and youngsters, especially females.’
Suicide is a slur on Society and even State of Jammu & Kashmir has not been left untouched by the menace of suicides. It is not unusual to see the reports of suicides in daily newspapers. The purpose of the present study is to find out the role of newspapers in highlighting the increased suicide rates in the Kashmir valley.
A doctor at SMHS hospital said “Women are far more sensitive and emotionally weaker than men. They have lesser tolerance levels than men, which explains why a higher number of persons who commit suicide belong to the fairer sex”.
They said most of the women, who committed suicide, were generally fed up with marital discord in their lives.
“There might be some young girls also who committed suicide due to failed family issues, depression. There is need for a support system to check the trend of rising suicides,” they addfed.
They said ready availability of pesticides and other drugs was also a factor in high incidence of suicides.
“Sometimes drug abuse, like anti-depressants, can also lead to death. In such cases, one cannot be sure whether the death was accidental or intentional,” he added.
A doctor atSMHS hospital said, “Persistent conflict between parents can affect a child’s mental health. It hinders emotional and psychological growth of a child and can impact their ability to form future relationships.”
“In extreme cases, they may develop suicidal feelings.” (PTK)
