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by Talia Jayasekera

In 1995, Sri Lanka recorded the highest number of suicides in the world. That year we had 8,519 suicides. It is the second cause of death in the country. Suicide is becoming a very common method for desperate Sri Lankans to end their lives. The gravity of their actions is no longer shocking to society as we too have become desensitized to the very idea of someone taking his or her life.

The Government forks out over Rs 1 billion annually for the welfare of families struck by this tragedy and a further Rs 3 billion for the rehabilitation of those who survive.

In 1998, President Chandrika Kumaratunga established a special `Presidential Task Force' to investigate the high suicide rate. one of their solutions to the problem was to control the pesticides available to mostly farming communities where suicide rates were the highest. Badulla rated number 1 in suicides.

It was recently reported that men are more prone to suicide than women. Police Headquarters statistics revealed that during the last nine years, 46,881 people have committed suicide. It was also revealed that the number of men committing suicide is three times higher than that of women. Age is no barrier either as some children as young as 11 opt for suicide in the face of peer pressure and bullying. Over a period of ten years, the numbers have escalated to a point where an average of 5,860 suicides occur each year.

The most common method of suicide is consuming poison. Detergents, pesticides and medication are the common culprits. They are very readily available in any household and soon become the victim's foe. Other common practices are hanging, standing in front of trains and setting one's self on fire. All leading to very disastrous and devastating deaths.

What pushes some young men and women of our nation to suicide? Why do they believe suicide to be the only option open to them when problems arise? Suicide no longer has the ability to shock those around. In rural areas, it is a common factor. It has been identified that poverty is the major cause of suicidal deaths while mental disorders and the breakdown of relationships were also connected. Individuals are finding it harder and harder to cope with their problems and often do not have anyone to confide in. The Government spends billions of rupees developing different sectors like health, education and welfare but until recently there were no counselling centres for the depressed.

Men tend to feel the stigma of poverty more acutely than women. It is their pride that is injured when the issue of social and economic standing arises. In society, men are given the role of breadwinner in a family. They carry this burden upon their shoulders from a very young age.

They often feel frustrated because poverty implies lack of education. Their social standing dictates a life of hardship and menial work. Discriminated against and marginalised by their social class, males feel the pressure mounting to unbearable levels causing them to end their lives. At present, 2600 men commit suicide each year.

Women, on the other hand, seem to be more adept at handling socio-economic problems than men. The female suicide rate is that much lower than the rate of male suicides. The number of female suicides in 1999 was 1,371, compared with the male rate of 4,536 that year. But it is a known fact that women have the tendency to choose the more gruesome methods of suicide like consuming acid or setting themselves on fire.

"Basic disintegration of family relationships is the main problem behind the high rates of suicide in this country ", said sociologist Dr Karunatissa of the University of Peradeniya and member of the `Social Integration Trust' organisation.

'Suicide - A Problem and Prevention', a book written by Dr Karunatissa documents the problem of suicide in 89 countries excluding China. "In my study, I did not find poverty to be the main problem but it is a definite underlining factor", he said.

"It is the disintegration of family, religious and school relationships that lead the youth as well as the elderly to seek suicide as the answer", said Dr Karunatissa.

"Disputes with the family can be very disheartening for a person. In post-colonial times, land was never an issue. But with the introduction of the colonial scheme, disputes over land within families became frequent. This led to even elders committing suicide. Schools too should play their part in the integration of society, but today's schools are lacking in this quality.

They are not performing well at all", he said. "I say poverty is not the main cause because if we take the example of Africa, this is a country struggling with poverty but the suicide rates in the country are very low", he said. "Poverty, particularly in poor farming areas, is a terrible fact. The Government should take definite action in this area". "Male suicides tend to be higher because they are not as hardy as women.

They have a very low level of tolerance when faced with problems. And also the consumption of alcohol leads them to behave in a manner they normally would not in sober circumstances. Alcohol gives them the incentive to behave thus and 10% of suicides are after the consumption of alcohol", said Dr Karunatissa. "It is the duty of the Government and all its political institutions and parties to take this problem seriously and not treat it as an isolated problem.

It affects everyone and the entire society should pay attention", said Dr Karunatissa. "NGOs have done a lot to alleviate this problem but not much action is being taken by the political and social institutions". "Problems like this should be highlighted in the media through various campaigns. Centres should be opened where people can look for help through qualified professionals", he said.

What we need is more awareness to this cause. Some state hospitals and clinics are not trained to handle suicidal individuals or have no background in counselling the depressed. It is necessary for education and awareness programs to be organised for the staff members.

More lives can be saved if the correct medical attention is given to such people. Or simply if depressed individuals have a friend that they can talk to at such places. "I believe that the lack of professional counselling at grass roots levels prompts people to turn to suicide as the answer", says President of the National Institute of Professional Counsellors, Professor Ranawaka.

"The kinds of people facing problems believe that there are no solutions but in the counselling field there are plenty of solutions".

"Awareness is very low with people in rural areas when it comes to counselling. Unlike in foreign countries, where even children from a young age are taught that there are options open to them. They have counsellors in their schools and offices.

These people are educated through booklets, handouts and they have access to 24-hour toll-free numbers where they can talk to counsellors", said Professor Ranawaka.

"In Sri Lanka, we do not have these kinds of facilities open to us. The few centres available are in mostly urban areas and rural districts are forgotten. Areas like Kegalle and Thanamunwila need centres with qualified counsellors as they are danger zones", he said.

"We need counselling centres in more rural areas.

The spreading of professional counselling is a must. Most villages have only religious group counselling and this type of counselling is done with the idea of converting the person. It is not professional at all". "The Government needs to introduce more recognised agencies in the country. At the moment, we do not have proper legislation in this field and no law for the services provided.

It is necessary for new laws to be drawnup and implemented in the country", said Professor Ranawaka. "It is also necessary that a proper authority be appointed to oversee the new counsellors and check for the adequate qualifications to make sure that people wont be cheated", he said.

"This year, the rates of suicide have dropped somewhat. This is because the Government appealed to media institutions not to publicise suicide cases. People reading the newspapers in rural villages, begin to believe this is the answer. Following in the footsteps of others. In counselling and phycology, we call it "modelling".

"Also, certain ministries like the Women's Affairs Ministry and the Social Welfare Ministry have opened counselling centres in textile and garment factories. Even the Army has counselling in war-torn areas. This has affected the nation in a positive manner", said Professor Ranawaka.

Life is precious and can only be lived once. Committing suicide will not wipe the slate clean of our mistakes. It only brings sorrow and pain to those we leave behind.

We need to realise that facing our demons is the only way out and not ending our lives. Society may be a harsh judge of character but even so it is human nature to make mistakes. Problems that are tackled head on can be forgiven and forgotten. No mistake is ever worth the end of a life.

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