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“I am not a person who is going to be a right fit to live in this wicked society, death is the final answer”
“I am not liking the way I am being treated, I wish death can hug me”
“I am not happy with my partner, my partner never understands me, I wish I could die with less pain”
“I have lost all of me, my dreams are sacrificed, my wishes were turned to ashes, I have no meaning to lead this life as a loser, I will die today at any cost”
“I am not going to survive in this competitive business market, I will die today”
“This stock market is going to end my life; I am done with my life”
“I am not able to repay the loans, the purpose of my life has become so wasted, I will die, that is the only solution”
We hear, these words either from a friend or also from our own subconscious, killing ourselves seems a bit easier than to face the reality. This is what triggered by severe depression.
When in depression, our thoughts won’t allow us to take time and take decisions, our mind urges us to find a way which is so clear and not risky.
In our lives, we all have problems, either we lost someone closer to our heart and we feel like this life is not going to be a huge painful one. After few days, time will heal us without even us noticing that we are healed.
We allowed the time subconsciously to heal us, and that is a process, so it happened. Now if we train our mind to be a loser all the time, it will not be able to take any positive thoughts into it. Whenever we face an obstacle, our mind suggests us to take a leave from there. The suicidal thoughts have become much common these days.
In my life, I have seen three people killing themselves, one for the financial burden, one for the broken relationship and the other for being so nervous and not able to find a job.
For all the above people, except the one who committed suicide for not having enough money, the rest two are from a wealthy family. Their parents were there to support them, and they have all the resources with them to take full advantage of their life, but what made them to die forcibly is the societal pressures, peer pressure and the self-demotivation.
Why Do People Commit Suicide?
As per WHO official report, more than 7,20,000 people commit suicide every day and there are others also who attempts suicide and fails multiple times.
When we dive deep into the topic on why do people kill themselves, like I have discussed above there are multiple reasons, but what I see is, we as a society can be the one who can prevent a suicide from happening. Because most of the people who are the victims of the suicide deaths are those who are different from us. Prisoners, people who are casted away from the society due to various reasons, isolated people based on gender, societal status, caste and many other reasons. Refugees and migrants, indigenous peoples, LGBTI persons and other people in depression and addiction to drugs, alcohol and also those who are suffering with mental illnesses.
A person will only wish to die when he/she will have the feeling of loneliness in their heart and mind, and we all know how emotionally connected we are as humans. This is the most natural way to communicate our feelings, share our pain with others, when there are no others to share what is happening in our lives, then the feeling of being alone creeps into our minds.
People commit suicide because those who are mentally stable and physically abled are too much busy in their own lives, they do not even have a minute to stop by and say a hi. Even a phone call can cost them much, so they ignore, we ignore.
This ignorance is going to steal the lives of many.
Identifying the Suicidal Tendencies in the Earlier Phase
This can be done only when we pay attention to the people whom we know. Try to recollect the information like when someone is too low and craving for the isolation, how much you have pressurized them to talk and share their pain with you? You will definitely share your experience here with one or more than two similar incidents in your life, this is how you have taken your first step in identifying the trigger of suicide.
Not all people are the same, here, to save lives, we may have to spend more time on their profiling. We need to understand the background of their family, the way they have been raised, their childhood traumas and much more factors that are surrounding them currently to force them to end their lives.
Sometimes it is not easy to read the mind of a person through the physical symptoms or even through the hopeless words they say, it takes a week to understand them and that is where we need to invest.
For one person, if the profiling takes a week, for two persons it will take 3 days. Let us all together study the person and then approach he/her to find the best way out of that depression.
Identifying the suicidal tendencies in earlier phase can prevent the suicide and can save a life.
Not in every case we would be able to solve their problems, for example, there are people who will be suffering with some sort of physical pain and it is not able to get a cure, they are willing to die and we cannot cure their pain with the motivational speech. Such complicated cases are recommended to handover to the professionals who are trained in treating them and decreasing the pain of the victim.
The Factsheet
Changing the Narrative on Suicide: A Call to Action for World Suicide Prevention Day
Suicide remains one of the most significant public health challenges, claiming over 700,000 lives globally each year. Each tragic loss extends far beyond the individual, rippling through families, communities, and society with profound social, emotional, and economic impacts. As we look toward the future, the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) for 2024-2026 is both timely and essential: “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”, accompanied by the powerful call to action, “Start the Conversation.”
This theme underscores the urgent need to raise awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding suicide. For too long, silence and misconceptions have hindered efforts to provide the necessary support to those at risk. Changing the narrative requires a fundamental shift in how we approach suicide – moving from judgment and misunderstanding to one of openness, compassion, and support.
The call to action, “Start the Conversation,” encourages individuals everywhere to engage in meaningful dialogue around suicide and suicide prevention. No conversation is too small. Every word of understanding, every gesture of support contributes to creating a society where individuals feel safe to speak about their struggles without fear of shame or exclusion. By fostering these essential conversations, we can begin to break down the barriers that have prevented so many from seeking help.
Equally important is the role of policy in changing the narrative. Governments and organizations must prioritize mental health in policymaking, ensuring that mental health services are accessible to all and that those in need have adequate support. Suicide prevention cannot succeed without addressing the broader systemic issues that impact mental well-being.
Since its establishment in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), World Suicide Prevention Day, observed each year on September 10th, has worked to reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and promote the message that suicide is preventable. This global initiative calls on all of us – individuals, communities, organizations, and governments – to act, have the tough conversations, and help save lives.
By starting the conversation and changing the way we view suicide, we can foster a society that offers hope, understanding, and support for all.
For the outreach briefs, I have downloaded the resources from the WHO website and providing you here for the ease of access. I recommend you all to read them and then act within your reach.
