About 800,000 people die by suicide worldwide every year. 1,39,123 Indians committed suicide in 2019 and the national suicide rate was 10.4 (calculated per lakh of population). According to The World Health Organization, in India, suicide is an emerging and serious public health issue.

Suicide rates in India have been rising over the past five decades. Suicides during 2019 increased by 3.4% in comparison to 2018. In 2016, suicide was the most common cause of death in both the age groups of 15–29 years and 15–39 years. Between 1987 and 2007, the suicide rate increased from 7.9 to 10.3 per 100,000, with higher suicide rates in southern and eastern states of India.

In 2019, Maharashtra recorded highest number of deaths by suicide followed by Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka. These five states together accounted for almost half of the total suicides recorded in India in that year.

The male-to-female suicide ratio in 2019 was 70.2 : 29.8. So, Male are more prone to completed suicides.

People tend to end their lives or attempt suicide to escape feelings of rejection, hurt, or loss. Or it could be anger, shame and guilt that forced them to believe that life is not getting any better for them. Still others might feel being worthless and a burden that dying seemed to be the only way out.

Everyone feels overwhelmed by difficult emotions or situations at some point in their lives. While most people can pull through their problems with determination and hope, some would simply resort to suicide, harming self., or drug overdose. Some people are more resilient and better able to deal with life’s setbacks and difficulties. Others are more prone to wallow in depression and self-defeating thoughts.

Most people who commit suicide or overdose may be suffering from depression. Depression is a condition that leads people to focus on their failures and disappointments in order to understate their own capabilities or self-worth. People with severe depression have forgotten to look at their blessings. Instead, they wallow in self-pity and could not see through the possibility of overcoming their problems, desperately believing that things will never go right for them again.

Depression is like a dark cloud that veils a person’s mind, thus, affecting the way a person thinks and feels about the situation he or she is in. It distorts the thinking process. This is the reason why people who feel suicidal may not even realize that they are depressed. They do not recognize that it is the depression, not the situation, that influences them to see things negatively.

Like most celebrities, people with alcohol and drug problems are at high risk for suicidal thinking and behavior due to the drug’s depressive effects on the brain. Celebrities are prone to drug abuse because of their environment and lifestyle. 

Alcohol and drugs can also alter a person’s rational judgment by interfering with their ability to assess risk, make good choices, and come up with solutions to problems. That is why most suicides happen when people are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, or caused by drug overdose. 

There are people who plan and orchestrate a suicide in advance. They even write letters or notes to say their last words. However, there are many cases when suicide attempts happen impulsively without notice. Situations such as a breakup, a big fight with a parent, an unintended pregnancy, or being victimized (rape, sexual abuse) in any way can make someone feel desperately upset. Such eventuality, on top of an existing depression, could serve as the final straw.

Some people who attempt suicide really intend to die. But not all. Suicide attempt might just a way to attract attention; a cry for help; a way to express deep emotional pain. They can’t say how they feel, so, for them, attempting suicide feels like the only way to get their message across. Unfortunately, many people who really didn’t mean to kill themselves end up dead or severely damaged.

We cannot simply ignore people who are in a suicidal state of mind, most especially if they are close friends or members of our own family. Suicidal thoughts can be seen through the person’s actions, how they interact with their family members, and how they respond to them. When one sees this, try to talk to the person involved. Try and make him or her talk to you since this could really help in expressing how they feel. As much as possible, do not confront or cause them any more stress or anger since negative words or thoughts could again trigger thoughts of committing suicide.

Think of the person’s emotional stability. Dedicate some time to make that person feel loved. Maybe thoughts of suicide are just temporary because of the current situation that he or she might be facing. In those cases, it is important to listen to what they are trying to say or express for these little details can show their true and innermost feelings. It is also important to know what their interests are so that one can have the opportunity to steer their thoughts away from the act of taking their own life. 

Consulting professional psychiatrist and therapists for advice can provide emotional support and can help build coping skills in dealing with problems. Joining a support group with people who are going through the same problems can help provide a caring environment where one can talk freely about problems with people who share the same concerns.