World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10: Theme, objective, and causes
September 10 every year is observed as World Suicide Prevention Day. Raising awareness and making people recognise suicidal signals, and responding quickly in case of a suicide, are among the objectives behind celebrating the day worldwide.
The World Suicide Prevention Day: Objectives
The primary aim and objective of celebrating the day is to create awareness among people against suicides. Removing the stigma attached to suicides and making people recognise the warning signs of a suicidal person are critical components of the awareness programme. In addition, the general awareness campaign is also part of how to respond fast if a suicidal person is spotted.
The World Suicide Prevention Day: Theme
A theme to celebrate the day is created to bring more focus to the awareness campaign. This year, the triennial theme started in 2021 and continues; Creating Hope Through Action. The theme acts as an umbrella over the detailed campaign to remind people that suicide is no solution and there are better ways to tackle your problems and live a happy life.
Why do people resort to suicide?
Experts believe that most suicides are due to psychiatric diseases. While anxiety is a normal phenomenon in most people, with specific individuals, the degree of anxiety increases the disorder's level. If ignored, many such cases become severe and interfere in the person's daily life.
The Covid-crisis has increased the instance of anxiety and depression four-fold across the world. These challenging times have highlighted the importance of mental health.
Even before the pandemic hit, mental health impacted over 10 per cent of the global population across their lifetime, and more than 20 per cent of adolescents and children had mental health concerns.
Over 90 per cent of school children are confined at home for the past six months due to the pandemic.
Now, more than ever, children need to build skills to cope with stressors. And, parents play an important role in helping nurture skills of resilience.
On World Suicide Prevention Day, Dr Rajesh Parikh, MD, Director Medical Research & Hon. Neuropsychiatrist at Jaslok Hoapital & Research Centre, Mumbai, shares ways in which parents can help.
Many types of anxiety and phobia-related disorders can be a potential trigger for suicide in an otherwise healthy person.
Coping with anxiety
Among the various methods to cope with depression and anxiety, the following is a simple guide for general awareness:
Communicate more with people:
It is said that letting your emotion out to a friend or family can calm you down and help reduce anxiety.
Breaking the chain of thoughts, taking time off, and practising breathing exercises can soothe nerves. In addition, practising yoga and meditation are time-tested methods.
Being Physically Active
Maintaining a healthy food habit.
Professional medical Help: If standard methods do not bring relief, one should never delay seeking medical help.
FAQs
Q. Can anxiety result from lifestyle practices?
A regulated lifestyle with activities mentioned above in the section related to suicides can help overcome anxiety and depression early on.
Q. Do many people commit suicide?
One can understand the seriousness of suicides by the global suicide mortality rate; suicides account for almost 1.4% of all deaths globally.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
