Suicide indicates an end- the ending of the conscious state of mind that recognises sensations and acknowledges the body. This ending by will is termed as suicide and attracts negative connotations by the judgemental mind that moralises every aspect of existence. This also reinforces the belief that the suffering of the self is limited to this existence and will end with the end of the self.
Life is thus perceived as a switch-on, switch-off kind of process that the spirit experiences in its eternal journey intelligence tries to comprehend the incom-prehensible- and the result is frustration that manifests itself as aberrated behavior. Our actions give rise to memory, and in turn, to our thoughts.
The thought of ending one’s life is nothing but a product of sensation and memory that might have encontered such thoughts and stored them as experience during the process of existence. Many of us would try to resolve problems originated by thoughts, by thought itself, rather than contemplate ending the self.
Common Predisposing Scenarios:
- Young adults with mental health issues
- Any individual with chronic illness/ health issues
- Relationship issues with extreme emotional distress
- Acute stages of mental health illnesses as Schizophrenia/manic depressive & major depressive episodes.
- Elderly with debilitating illnesses.
Risk factors to be noted in Suicidal cases
- Verbalizes attractions to death and a repulsion of life.
- Demonstrates dangerous at –risk behaviors ( e.g., reckless driving, High risk promiscuity, or drug abuse), which is ascribed to a passive Attitude about life (e.g., “I don’t care if I live or die
- Verbalizes a wish to escape from an intolerable situation and / or a painful psychological state that is focused on family/relationship turmoil
- Verbalizes a sense of hopelessness that a current painful life event will never get better.
- Verbalizes a sense of helplessness about the management of a painful life event.
- Demonstrates behaviors positively correlated to a diagnosis of depression (e.g., anhedonia, irritability, sleep problems)
- Frequently verbalizes feelings of worthlessness, self hate, intense guilt, self- criticism, failure, rejection, or isolation.
- Has experienced a recent loss of a loved one or significant acquaintance to suicide resulting in a reduction in the fear of death.
- Engages in self- mutilation behavior.
- Has a history of eating disorders.
- Demonstrates a chronic of suicide ideation with or without a plan.
- Demonstrates consistently distorted and negative body image.
- Demonstrates a chronic pattern of nonlethal suicide gestures.
- Attempt at committing suicide is an extreme form of self harm and is a Crisis requiring immediate attention.
For patients physically brought to Vimhans there is 24/7 support including a crisis intervention facility.
The treatment team consists of psychiatry and psychology professionals. After the acute symptoms have subsided – long term psychology support is encouraged.