Colombo: Suicide alert especially among young people

According to the WHO, around 3,000 people in the country take their own lives every year. A large proportion are young students between the ages of 12 and 25, suffering from stress, anxiety and isolation. The social stigma towards mental health care and the absence of professionals and safe listening spaces in schools take their toll. Psychologists: ‘Awareness programmes involving the entire community are needed’.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - Sri Lanka has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Despite a decrease in recent years, the phenomenon continues to cause concern, especially for young people between the ages of 12 and 25.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 3,000 Sinhalese die by suicide every year and many more attempt it. A considerable proportion are students unable to cope with stress, isolation and pessimism.

In recent weeks, there has been a spate of student suicides, especially in Colombo and its suburbs. Episodes that have highlighted the severity of the crisis, prompting discussion and calls for swift action, including the need for systemic changes at the policy level to address the problem.

One of the causes identified is the lack of mental health care, a stigmatised issue, especially in educational settings. Schools are not equipped to deal with its complexity and in most cases, there is little or no discussion of these issues.

Many students are reluctant to express their problems and their discomfort remains hidden until it becomes untenable. Most schools consider psychological problems as minor and do not provide students with assistance.

In major hospitals in Sri Lanka, however, mental health care services are offered, particularly for depressive disorders, psychoactive substance disorders and schizophrenia. However, many young people tend to avoid seeking treatment because of social stigma.

Experts believe that young people's mental health problems should be recognised and treated as a specific malaise, different from those affecting adults, by giving them special care.

Psychologists Nadeera Kalupahana and Udaya Siritunga explain to AsiaNews that ‘in order to curb the increase in student suicides, it is necessary to provide psychological assistance in schools, where students can discuss their emotional and psychological difficulties freely and confidentially.

It would help this process if professional mental health counsellors and psychologists were placed in educational facilities to help students deal with stress and anxiety. ‘Psychological awareness programmes should be organised with the participation of parents and communities, providing highly specialised and expert-led psychological services to safeguard the safety and well-being of students.’

The two scholars in recent years have collected data on those who have survived suicide attempts, which provided much insight into the psychological processes that lead to these fatal decisions.

‘Most of these suicide attempts by minors were impulsive, sudden decisions, requests for help rather than a genuine desire to end their lives,’ Nadeera and Udaya point out. Some of them regretted their actions and are glad they survived.

‘Although clinical conditions such as depression and anxiety disorders are increasingly common among young people, in most cases the idea of suicide is a last resort due to the lack of early care or clinical treatment such as therapy or medication if needed.’

University lecturers Lilantha Malalasekara and Dushni Weerasinghe are of the opinion that ‘research on the topic suggests multidisciplinary collaborations, community engagement and the use of media for suicide prevention’.

As well as ‘responsible storytelling, instead of promoting sensational news, including greater engagement of young people in recreational, sporting or artistic activities’. It is also necessary to train teachers in the prevention, assessment, management and follow-up of anyone affected by suicidal behaviour.

‘There is also a need to promote systematic and fundamental governance and policy changes to save the lives of Sri Lankan students.’