Don’t suffer in silence
Many people who take their lives are often those who keep things to themselves and don’t believe in sharing experience
Past experiences show that in case of a man’s death or the break-up of a marriage, women play an effective role in keeping the family together while most men end up in a second marriage. Children are the most vulnerable in this scenario. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, between May 25 and June 25, 2015 approximately 195 people committed suicide in different parts of the country. Out of these, 59 were women who took their lives, while 17 attempted to do so.
Married people need to realise that when they start considering suicide as an option, not only are they thinking about taking their own lives, they are also putting the lives of their children in danger, leaving them at the mercy of this cruel world. They brought their children into this world, thus the onus is on them to ensure their wellbeing.
There are always solutions to problems and we should try to solve them. People who commit suicide are mostly suffering from depression or other serious mental disorders. Gone are the days when the field of psychiatry was lacking in research. There are a large number of people who are suffering from depression in the country due to various environmental, social and economic issues. Media, whether Urdu or English, print or broadcast, is making an effort to create awareness among the masses regarding these issues.
I personally believe people are lazy and don’t want to make an effort to seek help. As they say, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’. In Pakistan, mental health treatment is very expensive but there are a number of government hospitals and non-governmental organisations that are providing free consultation and medication. Therefore, there is no need to die in silence when we have people and oranisations around to help us.
Many people who take their lives are often those who keep things to themselves and don’t believe in sharing experiences and their grief. Mental illnesses are manageable if they don’t go untreated. If my eyesight is weak, I will use glasses; likewise, if I have some mental health issue, then too, I will need to seek treatment rather than take my own life. There is a dire need to make efforts to dispel the stigma attached to mental health problems and encourage people to see psychiatrists. The government also needs to set up suicide helplines across the country to reduce the chance of people committing suicides.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2015.
Married people need to realise that when they start considering suicide as an option, not only are they thinking about taking their own lives, they are also putting the lives of their children in danger, leaving them at the mercy of this cruel world. They brought their children into this world, thus the onus is on them to ensure their wellbeing.
There are always solutions to problems and we should try to solve them. People who commit suicide are mostly suffering from depression or other serious mental disorders. Gone are the days when the field of psychiatry was lacking in research. There are a large number of people who are suffering from depression in the country due to various environmental, social and economic issues. Media, whether Urdu or English, print or broadcast, is making an effort to create awareness among the masses regarding these issues.
I personally believe people are lazy and don’t want to make an effort to seek help. As they say, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’. In Pakistan, mental health treatment is very expensive but there are a number of government hospitals and non-governmental organisations that are providing free consultation and medication. Therefore, there is no need to die in silence when we have people and oranisations around to help us.
Many people who take their lives are often those who keep things to themselves and don’t believe in sharing experiences and their grief. Mental illnesses are manageable if they don’t go untreated. If my eyesight is weak, I will use glasses; likewise, if I have some mental health issue, then too, I will need to seek treatment rather than take my own life. There is a dire need to make efforts to dispel the stigma attached to mental health problems and encourage people to see psychiatrists. The government also needs to set up suicide helplines across the country to reduce the chance of people committing suicides.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2015.