Expressions of someone wanting to end their life should always be taken seriously: Experts

Panaji: Mental health professionals say that expressions of someone wanting to end their life should always be taken seriously. Donna Noronha, coordinator of the suicide prevention programme at COOJ, said that that these expressions must be taken seriously even if someone suspects the person is trying to manipulate, pull a fast one, or gain attention, until very sure.
“One should probe deeper and ask more questions, and not be afraid to ask directly whether the person is feeling suicidal. The person may use the word suicide, or may say that they want to end their life, or that they’ve reached the end and cannot make it, or cannot continue or cope,” said Noronha, whose organisation runs a helpline for suicide prevention.
Psychiatrist Dr Peter Castellino said that often, people don’t know how to handle such information or how to respond, due to the discomfort in talking about dying and talking about one’s feelings.
“We tend to take on the role of a problem solver and want to fix it and give quick-fix solutions instead of listening to the person and connecting with them at an emotional level,” he said. “If one cannot handle it, they should take them to a professional or direct them to a helpline.”
Castellino also encouraged people to pick up on warning signs and red flags. “Changes in mood, changes in quantity of alcohol, smoking, drugs, giving away prized possessions — theoretically, we know these signs, but when it’s happening to someone close to us, we tend to miss clear cut signs,” he said.
Goa has a higher suicide rate than the country’s national average. In 2019, Goa’s suicide rate was 16.8 per lakh population, compared to the national average of 10.4 per lakh population, which rose to 19 per lakh population compared to the national average of 12 per lakh population in 2021.
The national suicide prevention strategy came into place last year, and Goa needs to adopt a suicide prevention strategy where all stakeholders are involved, he says.
“There’s no single risk factor to suicide, and therefore multiple stakeholders are required to reduce suicides in Goa,” he said. “The suicide prevention strategy takes on board all sectors, which work as a team — law department, PWD (to make bridges safer), agriculture department (regarding the sale of poisons, rodenticides, etc), education department and others.”
The COOJ foundation conducts gatekeeper training to educate people on how to respond towards suicide prevention. Anybody, especially those who have access to people, can undergo the training, which educates them how to recognise signs of intending suicide and how to respond appropriately.
Castellino also suggested teaching various life skills to children in school by counselors with an aim of making them more resilient and better equipped to handle problems and difficulties in their lives in future.