2018 PODAR INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SURVEY ON SUICIDES IN YOUTH
Every day,
each newspaper, or news channel has a mention of 1 or 2 suicides. We decided to
redo our survey on depression and suicide tendencies on our youth. Podar
Institute of Education had initiated this survey in January 2018 and
interviewed young children and adults in the age group of 14 to 25 years. In
Mumbai we interviewed 750 people, in Bangalore 500 people and in Chennai we
interviewed 650 people. The survey was a verbal checklist survey conducted at
railway stations, coffee shops and malls.
The
results were extremely disappointing as the numbers are rising and the
‘village’ that should be their support system seems to either giving up or is
clueless how to help them. This should serve as a serious wake up call for
teachers, parents, and society in general. If we don’t look after the emotional
health of our young growing generation then we will be bringing up a society of
fractured youth who will be stress ridden, have anxiety disorders and will then
grow into troubled relationships as couples too. Our youth is our future and it
is time that we not only provide them with universities, colleges and schools
but equip these knowledge providers with knowledge about identifying emotional
health issues in our growing youth and also providing them with safe haven of
counselors to help them vent, discuss and cure what ails their minds. It should
be made mandatory in all teacher-training programs. And parents must undergo
training on the same.
1.
an average of 65% young children and adults
are aware of suicide, it means it has become a part of their lives.
2.
An average of 48% feel that people whom
commit suicide took the right decision. This is a troubling figure as it shows
that they too are seeing the same helplessness that the person who committed
suicide did. Its important for families and schools to talk to teenagers about
what the person could have done differently and avoided taking the decision of
suicide. This helps them understand that there are ways of avoiding it and it
is not the only solution.
3.
An average of 47% felt depression is the main
cause and an average of 49% felt that helplessness was the main cause for
suicide. The fact that they are able to relate depression and helplessness to
suicide is a worrying trend.
4.
An average of above 42% have contemplated
suicide, which means almost half our youth have ‘thought’ about suicide
sometime! Its time to build resilience, maybe we are not equipping them with
the ability to face hurdles, face set backs because we only accept the best in
colleges and only celebrate the best. So if you are not best you are mediocre
and that is not worth living for, is a mindset they are cultivating.
5.
A shocking statistic- an average of 46% have
attempted suicide, which means they gave up on themselves, preferred to die,
failed or came back from the brink…
6.
Of the 46% who attempted suicide only 12%
suicide attempts are known by their families, which means even in their
struggle with death they are facing it alone, this is very distressing. This
generation has friends on all social media and is forever connected on social
media but is unable to reach out to a human being for their needs. social and
emotional bank is completely empty. The fault lies in lack of attachment and
this starts in the early years.
7.
The feeling after their attempt was of
disappointment in 42% and regret in 58%, which means 42% will still be
depressed and attempt it again.
8.
38% admitted to attempting again. When asked will you seek help , they said
what’s the point.
9.
46% said helplessness will make them attempt
it again. Helplessness is omnipresent
because of our societal practices, e.g. A child will work hard and get
98% but the cut off will be 99%, a child will have to conform to certain body
shape or be judged etc. the helplessness stems when inspite of trying to do
something you keep on failing to meet expectations and then one feels its
better to give up…on life.
10.
An average of 53% know someone who has
committed suicide but have never told their families, so the bond of friendship
is also skewed where one feels trust is more important than saving someone.
Life choices are skewed. Ability to take decisions is based on what will
someone think and not on what is right.
11.
31% think that people committing suicide are
brave and over 48% feel they are helpless. In both cases it is a glorification
or an excuse that they are identifying with.
12.
An average of 60% feel depressed and know
that they are depressed, this is indeed worrisome.
13.
Family expectations and self-image and the
two top reasons why our youth is feeling depressed. And they are interrelated,
if family becomes more supportive, less judgmental or have real expectations
then self-image would not suffer so much.
14.
Binge shopping and drugs are the common things that the
youth resort to in this survey to cope with depression. Both are ways of
satisfying superficial needs, they are choosing things to gratify themselves,
quick gratification. So consumerism and bad parenting practices (when you
reward financially and not emotionally) have led to children not able to wait
for results or change but want quick fixes.
15.
A whopping 74% don’t discuss their depression
or go to their parents for help. What does this say? It says that children lack
attachment with their parents and don’t trust that their parents will help
them, this seriously needs to change. We need to teach parents how to stay
connected and attached to their children without helicoptering or smothering or
being judgmental.
1.
Have you heard/read about any suicides lately
?
|
Cities
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
80%
|
20%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
70%
|
30%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
65%
|
35%
|
2.
Do you think suicide was the right decision
by these people?
|
Cities
|
Yes
|
No
|
Maybe
not sure
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
55%
|
25%
|
20%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
48%
|
29%
|
23%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
49%
|
35%
|
16%
|
3.
Why do you think people commit suicide?
|
Cities
|
Stress
|
Depression
|
Helplessness
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
12%
|
40%
|
48%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
9%
|
42%
|
49%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
7%
|
47%
|
46%
|
4.
Have you ever considered suicide as an
option?
|
Cities
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
64%
|
36%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
59%
|
41%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
42%
|
58%
|
5.
Have you ever attempted suicide?
|
Cities
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
49%
|
51%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
47%
|
53%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
47%
|
53%
|
6.
Does
anyone know that you had attempted suicide?
|
Cities
|
Yes
|
No
|
Parents/family
know
|
Friends
know
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
16%
|
84%
|
10%
|
18%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
14%
|
86%
|
9%
|
22%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
8%
|
92%
|
12%
|
14%
|
7.
What
was your feeling after your attempt?
|
Cities
|
Relief
|
Regret
|
Disappointment
|
Shame
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
4%
|
44%
|
42%
|
10%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
4%
|
58%
|
38%
|
0%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
8%
|
46%
|
40%
|
6%
|
8.
Will
you ever think of attempting it again?
|
Cities
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
36%
|
64%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
34%
|
66%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
38%
|
62%
|
9.
what
would make you attempt it again?
|
Cities
|
Stress
|
Helplessness
|
Pressure
of expectations
|
Depression
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
26%
|
44%
|
15%
|
15%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
24%
|
46%
|
20%
|
10%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
18%
|
42%
|
20%
|
20%
|
10.
Do you know of anyone who has attempted
suicide?
|
Cities
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
53%
|
47%
|
|
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
54%
|
46%
|
|
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
45%
|
55%
|
|
|
11.
What
do you think about people who commit suicide?
|
Cities
|
Brave
|
Helpless
|
Coward
|
Cant say
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
31%
|
45%
|
14%
|
10%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
28%
|
47%
|
15%
|
10%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
30%
|
48%
|
11%
|
11%
|
12.
Do you ever feel depressed?
|
Cities
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
65%
|
35%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
75%
|
25%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
60%
|
40%
|
13.
What depresses you?
|
Cities
|
Self
image
|
Work/study
stress
|
Family
expectations
|
Peer
group expectations
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
32%
|
30%
|
36%
|
2%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
30%
|
22%
|
30%
|
18%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
34%
|
1%
|
36%
|
29%
|
14.
When you are depressed what do you do?
|
Cities
|
Smoke
|
Drugs
|
Binge
eating
|
Binge
shopping
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
17%
|
38%
|
10%
|
35%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
15%
|
44%
|
6%
|
35%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
20%
|
30%
|
19%
|
31%
|
15.
Do you seek support/discuss from/with your
parents if you are depressed?
|
Cities
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Mumbai
(750)
|
26%
|
74%
|
|
Bangalore
(500)
|
24%
|
76%
|
|
Chennai
(650)
|
18%
|
82%
|
Youth
should be exposed to ideas, literature, movies; shows that help them understand
their emotions and how to deal with them in appropriate ways-
The media
or films or reality shows that our youth is exposed to is not helping them
understand their emotions. It is in fact feeding them with incorrect ways of
displaying their emotions. The fine lines that divide our emotions have been
corroded and when there are no lines it leads to chaos. Our emotional world is
in chaos, we are unable to feel, sympathize, or empathize. One of the most
important things that define us from other animals is our ability to empathize
and sadly today we have reached a stage where we have to help our young ones
and ourselves ‘learn about empathy’.
The family
as a close knit unit needs to brought back, we need to work on our family
structure as being that of comfort, support and trust-
We don’t
have emotional ties any longer. We have more than 3000 friends on Facebook, we
‘share’ with friends on whatsapp but we have actually distanced ourselves and
there is no one that actually knows us, understands us, we are unable to share
our true feelings with anyone.
If we are
teaching our children about empathy then teachers and parents first need to
practice empathy with children who display different needs. Podar Institute of
Education outlines 5 things for parents and teachers to do with young children
and young adults-
1.
Help children label emotions. Its not the
emotion that is bad, it is the way of displaying it. Make this clear to growing
children that it is good to display emotions in an acceptable manner.
2.
Have the ‘tough’ conversations about sex,
drugs, and suicide with your child whenever these topics are in the news. Its
better if they learn about it and clear their doubts with a trusted source
rather than get warped facts from the net or friends.
3.
Do not ever ridicule them for their mistakes,
be firm, but do not humiliate.
4.
Be there to support your child in sickness
and in health, in defeat and in victory.
5.
Know your child. Know your child’s friends,
habits, and interests, know your child’s emotions. When you do this you will
know to recognize signs of depression, unhappiness, frustration. Practice and
teach mindfulness so that they too are able to recognize what happens to them
when they are dealing with this.
Dr. Swati
Popat Vats
