Chandigarh, September 10 (Trinew)
“Every year around 7 lakh people take their lives and even more attempt suicide. It was the fourth leading cause of death among the 15–29 year old age group globally in 2019. “About 14% of the world’s adolescents experience mental health problems.”
On World Suicide Prevention Day, Dr. Vibha Goyal, Psychiatrist, IVY Hospital Mohali, said that suicide is a tragedy affecting families, communities and has a long-term impact on those left behind. He further said it can occur impulsively in moments of crisis or in situations when a person is experiencing conflict, disaster, violence and abuse. The callous, callous, insensitive attitude of the society towards the victims is a matter of concern and understanding the myths related to depression and suicide is a matter of utmost concern.
One of the most commonly heard myths is that mental health conditions are a sign of weakness. If the person was strong then he would not have been in this condition. Dr. Vibha said that on the contrary, anyone can develop a mental health condition.
However the problems are usually left untreated as they are thought to be a part of mood swings caused by hormonal fluctuations and a constant desire to attract attention.
Dr Vibha said that blaming adjectives and derogatory comments used by family members and other members of society towards mental health problems increases the reluctance of victims to disclose as it can lead to social distancing.
There is a fundamental need to curb the stigma, abuse and neglect associated with mental illnesses. Anyone, no matter what position they hold in life, can suffer from any kind of mental illness, he said.
