40% of Mumbai suicides due to family issues, illnesses second

40% of Mumbai suicides due to family issues, illnesses second

Trends Are Similar Across State And Nation 

    Four out of every 10 suicides in Mumbai from 2007 to 2011 were due to family problems, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Similarly, 36% of suicides across the state during the same period were due to family problems. The trend was nationwide, with domestic issues being the main cause of suicides in high-incidence cities like Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi, and states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
    Illness was the next major reason, accounting for nearly 30% of the suicides in Mumbai and 27% in Maharashtra. Similarly, in cities like Bangalore Chennai and Delhi, and states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka, illness was a major cause of suicides. In fact, in Karnataka and AP it outweighed family problems.
    While the male-female divide wasn’t significant in overall suicides in Mumbai (3,306 by men compared to 2,350 by women), in the state over twothirds of suicides were by men (52,830 as compared to 24,770).
    There were 2,259 suicides due to family problems in Mumbai, with 1,152 by men and 1,107 by women. Another 134 suicides in Mumbai were due to dowry issues, with all these deaths involving women. In Maharashtra, 28,202 suicides were due to family problems, with 17,076 by men and 11,126 by women. Another 1,265 suicides were due to dowry issues, with 11 of them involving men.
    Psychiatrists say a wide range of problems have their repercussions at home -- like financial problems, difficulties in relationships, long working hours, shrinking social support and skyrocketing prices. “The pace of life is causing a disconnect and isolation, leading to depression and suicide. The ‘disconnection syndrome’ could be worse than HIV. Lack of emotional contact leads to distress, depression and suicide. Family contact time has also shrunk,” said psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty. Shetty added that social chaos has increased stress and depression within families.
    Shetty said the age for the onset of depression has come down, with even kids suffering from the syndrome. “The three ‘S’s, as in the ‘three schools’ phenomena, is largely responsible -- school, tuitions and studies at home. Severe anxiety as a result of exam stress or poor marks is also a major cause. Lack of play and relaxation has caused a pressure cooker for kids,” he said.
    Suicidal people hope for an alternative, but can’t see one. That’s why it is imperative to help them, said deputy commissioner of police (Zone V) Dhananjay Kulkarni. Dealing with suicidal people is not easy, but possible, said state director general of police Sanjeev Dayal. Suicidal tendencies should be recognized and tackled with effective interventions, he said.
    Other major reasons for suicides in Mumbai include work-related reasons (unemployment, career problems and bankruptcy), drug or alcohol addiction and love affairs. While a majority of work-related and drug or alcohol suicides are by men, women account for more suicides due to exam pressure, cancelled marriages and lack of children.
    The illnesses that cause depression and lead to suicide include AIDS, cancer and paralysis. Mental health issues and prolonged illness also cause suicidal tendencies.
Alcohol, career
take toll on city Two categories in which Mumbai led other major suicide-incidence cities – Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi – were drug/alcohol problems and career issues. There were 259 and 103 suicides, respectively, in Mumbai due to these reasons from 2007 to 2011. Meanwhile, the city was placed second for suicides due to unemployment (321).
    Suicidal tendencies are often related to drugs and alcohol, with some people becoming maudlin and impulsively attempting to end their lives, said psychiatrist Dr Yusuf Matcheswalla. A dialogue should be initiated with such people, he said.
Maharashtra tops among states Bangalore recorded the most suicides in India, with 10,487 deaths from 2007 to 2011. Chennai was second with 8,786 suicides, Delhi third with 6,185 and Mumbai fourth with 5,656. Among states, Maharashtra topped the list with 77,600 suicides, followed closely by West Bengal (76,886), Tamil Nadu (75,144), Andhra Pradesh (74,714) and Karnataka (62,062).