Once a youth was on his way with a big bag. Seeing him, a neighbor asked where he was going. The youth replied that he was moving towards the railway station to commit suicide. Then why was he carrying a bag with him, the neighbor asked again. Nowadays, as most trains are running late by two to three hours, shall I not die of hunger in case the train is late, the youth made it clear.
This may be a joke relating to suicide. There are numerous other jokes available around. But suicide is neither an ordinary matter nor something to be laughed at as a joke. Years back, a video was made viral on social media. A girl most probably saw her examination result on the ground floor of a building. Then she straightaway went to the top floor of the building and jumped down. She lost her life no sooner than people raised a hue and cry and forbade her from doing so. Later, it was known that the girl had committed suicide as she was not successful in her examination. Such incidents have become common. As per a recent survey, every year approximately eight lakh people commit suicide all over the world, which includes approximately one and a half lakh Indians. The statistics are really alarming. Another surprise is that the youth constitute the bulk of the suicide cases. Now the question arises as to why twenty to twenty-five-year-old youth are taking the harsh decision of committing suicide at a time when seventy to eighty-year-old persons are moving to places like Delhi, Mumbai, and others for treatment of cancer so that they could live for another five to ten years.
In order to find an answer to the question, we have to first search for the probable reasons for suicide.
Man’s life is beautiful, valuable, and rare. It is believed that human life is achieved after seven ‘janam’ of ‘tapasya’. Normally, everybody is afraid of death. Then why is somebody committing suicide or taking away their life? Somehow, there is a realization on their part that either in life there is no other way open for them or their life is not worth living anymore. They are feeling suffocated and at a particular moment are being forced to take the hard decision of ending their life. It is known that being unsuccessful in different fields of life like education, employment, business, love, and others and accepting defeat in the same is the main reason for committing suicide.
Secondly, depression and losing mental balance have been cited as another reason for committing suicide. One seems to take such a bold decision under depression or acute mental tension. Anger may also be a reason for suicide. One may do it in an extreme state of anger. People with madness or bipolar disorder may also be prone to committing suicide.
Thirdly, it has been said that committing suicide is a mental state or tendency with man. Some people talk of committing suicide at the earliest opportunity. Such people are also reported to be talking in terms of what will happen if they commit suicide and how it feels like at the time of dying.
Fourthly, it is said that mentally weak people commit suicide. There have been lots of talks and research on this. Even psychologists are not clear and cannot say for certain as to what goes on in the mind of a man at the time of committing suicide. But this much can be said for certain that at this time they are not normal human beings. In a normal state, one can neither kill somebody nor take one’s own life. They are definitely losing their mental equilibrium. I have come across many reports on suicide cases in the media which present a similar view. When asked about the behavior of the victim before suicide, neighbors and close relations report that they were quite normal and even laughed with no sign of any tension or worry on their face. This proves that either they have not studied them properly or they have taken the decision on the spur of the moment. But a sudden decision is very difficult to believe. Unless some problem is already there in the mind, its sudden eruption is hardly possible. But sudden decisions can also be hardly ruled out.
Lastly, it has been seen that people with drug addiction and in a drunken state often commit suicide. Excessive intoxication either makes them whimsical or they take the decision after a mental disturbance or duel with somebody.
After being familiar with the reasons, the solution or remedy to the problem may very well be sought.
Life is not always a bed of roses. It is very much a struggle. There are happiness, sorrows, success, and failure in life. We should never think that there will only be flowers and no thorns on our way through life. Such thinking and attitude towards life may protect us from the clutches of suicide.
Secondly, as we consult a doctor whenever we are affected by some disease, so also we should consult a mental doctor or psychiatrist and if required, take medicines in case of depression or mental disorder. One should also have control over one’s anger. We should also talk to such persons very carefully and never arouse their anger. People with madness or bipolar disorder should be handled carefully and given the right treatment and medicines.
Thirdly, a person with suicidal tendencies should themselves understand the values and vicissitudes of life and others should also try to bring them to the right path. When there is life, death can never remain behind. Nobody is immortal. Everybody one day will have the experience of death. God has given life and one day He will take it away. It is therefore imperative to lead a normal life with such thinking. We should talk to people with suicidal tendencies very carefully and try our level best to make them understand.
Fourthly, it does not hold good for a man to be mentally weak. He is the greatest animal on earth. He is endowed with intelligence, reason, and conscience. He is capable of meeting any emergency situation in life. There is a solution to every problem. Success and failure are part of the struggle of life. One who loves life, tries to live, and comes out successful in the struggle of life is the real man. Mentally weak people should be aware of it and accordingly build up their mindset.
Lastly, people with habits of intoxicants like drugs and alcohol should be brought to the right path so that they are made free from the evil. Whenever they are under intoxication, any type of argument and verbal duel should be avoided with them.
Life is precious and the greatest gift of God. It should be lived fully without accepting defeat as final. Life may appear to be cruel at times. But it is only temporary. With confidence in our abilities, inner strength to counter the trials and tribulations of life, and last but not least, a zest for life will help us in scoring a victory over suicide.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own)
Mr. Prafulla Kumar Majhi,
Retired Asst. Director, A. I. R, is an eminent Scholar and freelance writer in English & Odia. His areas of interests are sociocultural, economic, literary, historical and analytical studies and writings.
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