Heramba Nath
(herambanath2222@gmail.com)
The recent increase in suicide cases is a matter of serious concern for society. Suicide is not merely a personal tragedy; it is also a social and public-health concern that deserves our collective attention. Every life lost to suicide leaves behind grief, unanswered questions and emotional suffering for families, friends and communities. Therefore, instead of looking at suicide only as an individual act, we must try to understand the complex circumstances that may lead a person towards such a painful decision.
Suicide rarely has a single cause. A person may experience severe emotional distress because of family problems, financial difficulties, unemployment, relationship breakdown, academic or professional pressure, social rejection, loneliness, humiliation, substance misuse, chronic illness or other overwhelming circumstances. Often, several such factors may occur together. What may appear to others as a small problem can sometimes become unbearable for a person who is already emotionally exhausted.
From a social point of view, alienation and exclusion can have a profound effect on human beings. People naturally need affection, acceptance, companionship and a sense of belonging. When a person begins to feel that he or she is unwanted, ignored or rejected by family, friends or society, loneliness can gradually turn into hopelessness. In today’s rapidly changing society, people may live physically close to one another but remain emotionally distant. This lack of meaningful human connection can make vulnerable individuals feel that they have nobody with whom they can share their pain.
Unfortunately, our society sometimes fails to recognise emotional suffering. We may readily notice a physical illness, but mental and emotional distress is often ignored or dismissed. A person who appears quiet, withdrawn, irritable or hopeless may be told to “be strong” or “forget the matter” rather than being listened to. Such responses, although sometimes offered without bad intention, may make a suffering person feel even more isolated.
Mental-health conditions are another important factor that must be understood scientifically. Depression, severe anxiety, substance-use disorders, schizophrenia and certain other psychiatric conditions can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviour. However, having a mental-health condition does not mean that a person will necessarily attempt suicide. Similarly, suicide should never be described as the inevitable result of mental illness. Early recognition, appropriate treatment, psychological support and a caring environment can make a significant difference.
There are also biological and physical factors that may influence a person’s mental state. Certain medical conditions and disturbances in the body’s normal functioning can affect mood, behaviour and judgement. For example, significant abnormalities in blood sodium levels can cause serious neurological and psychological symptoms. However, it would be incorrect to suggest that low sodium levels generally cause suicidal behaviour. Such medical conditions require proper clinical assessment and treatment rather than assumptions or generalisations.
Social harmony is equally important. A society characterised by compassion, mutual respect and solidarity can provide a protective environment for people facing difficult circumstances. On the other hand, a society in which people are constantly judged, humiliated or excluded may increase emotional vulnerability. We should therefore ask ourselves whether we are creating a society in which people feel safe enough to speak about their problems.
Family has a particularly important role in suicide prevention. Parents, spouses, siblings and other family members should try to maintain open communication. Children and young people, especially, should be allowed to express their fears, failures and disappointments without immediately being criticised. Academic performance, employment, financial success or social status should never be allowed to determine a person’s value as a human being.
Educational institutions and workplaces also have responsibilities. Students may face intense academic competition, examination pressure, bullying, social comparison and fear of failure. Employees may experience workplace stress, insecurity, harassment or financial difficulties. Institutions should therefore create supportive environments where people can seek help without shame or fear of being ridiculed.
Awareness is another essential component of prevention. Awareness meetings can be organised in schools, colleges, workplaces and communities to educate people about mental health, emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention. Non-governmental organisations, healthcare professionals, teachers, social workers and community leaders can play an important role in this effort. Such programmes should be based on scientific information and should discourage superstition and harmful misconceptions about mental illness.
Most importantly, we must change the way we respond to people who are suffering. A person showing signs of serious emotional distress should never be mocked, humiliated or deliberately ignored. If someone repeatedly expresses hopelessness, talks about death or self-harm, withdraws from others or shows a sudden and worrying change in behaviour, the situation should be taken seriously. Such a person needs compassionate listening and appropriate professional support.
We should also understand that kindness is not a weakness. Sometimes a simple conversation, a patient listener or a reassuring word can help a person feel that he or she is not alone. We do not always need to provide solutions to someone’s problems immediately. Sometimes, simply listening without judgement can be an important first step.
At the same time, professional help should not be replaced by informal advice. People experiencing serious mental-health difficulties should be encouraged to consult qualified mental-health professionals and healthcare providers. Counselling, psychotherapy, psychiatric treatment and social support may all have important roles, depending on the individual’s circumstances.
Society must also stop treating mental illness as something shameful. Stigma prevents many people from seeking help. If physical illness deserves treatment, mental illness deserves treatment too. There is nothing shameful about asking for help when a person is struggling emotionally.
We must never underestimate the seriousness of mental illness or emotional suffering. Behind a smile there may sometimes be an invisible struggle. Behind silence there may be an unanswered cry for help. Therefore, we should learn to notice, listen and respond with humanity.
Suicide is not simply an individual’s tragedy; it can also expose weaknesses in the support systems around that individual. Families, educational institutions, workplaces, healthcare systems, governments, community organisations and ordinary citizens all have a role to play in prevention. No single institution can solve the problem alone.
At the same time, responsibility must be balanced with compassion. We should not blame families or communities whenever a suicide occurs. Many suicides involve complex circumstances that cannot be understood fully from the outside. Instead of searching only for someone to blame, society should learn from every tragedy and strengthen its systems of support.
A truly civilised society is not measured only by its economic development, modern infrastructure or technological advancement. It is also measured by how it treats its most vulnerable members. If a person is suffering, we should not ask why he or she cannot simply “move on”. We should ask what support can be provided.
The cultivation of brotherhood, empathy, compassion, tolerance and mutual respect can therefore become an important part of building a healthier society. Moral and social education should teach us that human dignity is more valuable than success, wealth or social status. We must create an environment where people can make mistakes, experience failure and still feel worthy of respect and love.
Ultimately, suicide prevention is not only the responsibility of doctors, psychologists or governments. It is a shared responsibility. A caring family, an understanding teacher, a supportive colleague, a responsible neighbour or even a compassionate stranger may sometimes become an important source of hope.
Let us therefore build a society where people are not ashamed to speak about their pain, where mental illness is treated scientifically, where vulnerable individuals are supported rather than ridiculed, and where every human life is treated with dignity.
We wish for a scientific, compassionate, mentally healthy and humane society in the days to come—one in which no person feels completely alone in the midst of his or her suffering.