With understanding, new hope

Manjari PEIRIS

MENTAL HEALTH: "The easy accessibility of things such as pesticides has resulted in increasing suicide attempts in Sri Lanka". Dr. Gamini Prematilleke, Consultant Mental Health, Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition, said.

"Although there should be a prescription from a physician to purchase medical drugs, there is no such requirement of producing a direction from a responsible authority when one wishes to purchase pesticides which are more poisonous to beings in Sri Lanka.

Anybody belonging to any age is permitted to purchase pesticides. As such attempts of suicide as modes of using pesticides are on the rise. To control this situation there should be a systematic methodology," Dr. Prematilleke added.

Since speedy treatment is administered on suicide attempted victims in other countries and that there are adequate facilities in such hospitals, the possibility of saving the lives of those people is more in such countries.

But in Sri Lanka the tendency of occurring deaths is more as a result of inadequate facilities available and of the unavailability of essential treatment, especially in rural hospitals.

The majority of people are of the view that 90% of suicide attempts are due to mental diseases. But according to my experience, it is only 10% of the suicide attempts are occurring among mental patients. The rest of suicide attempts are due to other varied reasons.

We cannot say that one is leading a healthy life merely to the fact that he/she is not suffering from a mental disease. Good health is denoted by one's ability to endure disease and suffering in a positive manner.

The status of physical health of the people in Sri Lanka is of a high degree. But due to poor status of mental health, people are bent towards using alcohol, drugs and committing crime, etc.

Owing to these reasons as well as due to depression, people attempt suicide more. Depression is not always a disease. In Sri Lanka mostly depression is a cause of mental disease.

Suicide may also be attempted due to changes of remorseful feelings, negative thinking patterns, negative feelings that is difficult to get rid of, etc.

Rarely mothers kill their children for the reason that they deeply love them and for not being able to endure suffering of their children.

Dr. Neil Fernando, Consultant Psychiatrist, Mental Hospital, Angoda, stated that suicide attempts in youth are still in a high degree in Sri Lanka. Suicide usually results from a complex set of circumstances and is seldom the result of a single event.

Therefore the media should avoid presenting simplistic explanations for suicide. He said that the media should not give emphasis or highlight suicide attempts as a heroic act as there could be possibilities of imitating others.

Detailed descriptions of places of incidents occurring and methods of attempts should be avoided as much as possible, as it may provide a vulnerable person with the knowledge they need to imitate the actions of the victim.

The media should not engage in repetitive, prominent, or excessive reporting of suicide as it may promote and maintain a preoccupation with suicide among at risk individuals. The news should not carry as a front page headline.

No suicide occurs due to a single cause, the entire blame should not be put on the victims. It may cause due to a combination of causes. The public should be informed as to how to act or attempts could have been avoided.

The warning sings of social adversities, economic problems and mental illnesses (especially depression) should be conveyed to the society. Possible remedial measures in this situation should be suggested by working quickly with medical professionals.

A realistic description of the impact of suicide of survivors, employers and families should be provided along with its short-term and long-term consequences to individuals.

The misconceptions, cultural beliefs and myths about the society should be explained. Raising awareness and changing beliefs is one of the major responsibilities of the media in this regard.

This is very important. There are officers in MOH offices for counselling on mental support.

Treat survivors with sensitivity and respect their privacy and care and consideration should always be shown when interviewing close family and friends of the victim.

The media should not resort to sensitizing the act. Sensational news coverage tends to heighten the general public's preoccupation with suicide, particularly when a celebrity is involved.

The media should always work closely with local health persons in ascertaining effective reporting methods. Always take the message to general public that attempts can be prevented.

Identification of high risk groups such as mental patients, those who have lost independence and people isolated is imperative.

More focus should be drawn towards them. Attachments towards one another help in lowering the tendency of suicide attempts.

Provide information that increases public awareness about suicide risk factors, warning signs, and possible actions to assist a suicidal person. This can help friends and family members recognize suicidal risk in a vulnerable person.