Every depression curable, all suicides preventable, say doctors

Nagpur: While all are worried about the increasing deaths due to Covid-19, suicides due to various reasons during the pandemic have been silent killers. Nagpur has witnessed 1,458 deaths due to Covid-19 since March, and nearly 600 reported suicides, unreported apart.
While senior citizens are more prone to get seriously ill due to Covid-19; the young, healthy, earning or learning age-group between 15- 29 years of age are most vulnerable to commit suicide due to various after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
TOI spoke to doctors on the eve of World Suicide prevention day. They said that students are at highest risk and 1 in 7 persons is suffering from mental health issues during and post lockdown. Major reasons for suicide during Covid time are depression, stress, finance, study and relationships. Loneliness and hopelessness are the drivers for depression and suicide.
“Stressful life events like relationship issues, work and academic pressures, prolonged medical illness, and mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, addictions, psychoses are some of the common risk factors for suicide. In Covid times, isolation/disconnection from people or activities that give no hope or meaning are new risk factors,” said Dr Suyog Jaiswal, Associate professor in psychiatry department of AIIMS Nagpur.
Suicide is a cry for help and not a sign of a weak mind, said Dr Sonakshi Jyrwa, assistant professor of psychiatry from AIIMS. “It is an act of despair to escape unbearable pain or bring an end to a situation in which a person feels trapped/sees no way out. It is the loss of will to live, rather than wanting to die,” she said.
Dr Shreelakshmi V from AIIMS told about common warning signs of suicidal tendency.
“Loss of interest in activities, aloof or withdrawn behaviour, increased risk-taking behaviour, increased consumption of alcohol/drugs, abrupt changes in appearance, sleep/appetite/weight changes are some of the prominent signs,” she said.
Dr Suleman Virani, consulting psychiatrist from city shared some valuable tips. “Always share your feelings with your loved ones/friends. Being connected with each other is the key. As a community, it’s our responsibility to protect and empower the vulnerable persons from the risk of suicide,” he said.
“When you feel like giving up, just remember the reason why you held on for so long,” he said.