Rising cases of student suicide
Law student jumps to death in Bhubaneswar
22-yr-old University student ends life on City outskirts
Class X students consumes poison in Keonjhar
Year’s 4th suicide case in IIT- Madras.
These are some of the disturbing newspaper headlines that hogged the lime lights of late. However, these are not stray cases. According to National Crime Records Bureau, Odisha accounted for 2682 student suicide cases in a span of three years (2019-21) which suggests that more than two students are ending life every day in Odisha and the rate is much higher than the national average.
There may be so many reasons such as unrealistic expectations of parents, adverse impact of social media, inability to accept failure, too many restrictions by the authorities and so on.
But for a society that is striving to raise its living standards using youth powers, the situation is truly alarming.
With the trend of suicide catching up fast with the students and the cases are increasing year after year, a few experts and parents share with Sunday POST their thoughts and discuss how to trace the reasons and find solutions to the issue.
‘Mental health awareness programme
should be conducted at school level’
Dr. Subhankar Swain, a consultant psychiatrist based in Sambalpur, chips in to educate and raise awareness on the gravitas of the topic. Explaining the key factors that lead a student to take such a drastic step, he says, “Brain resilience refers to the ability of the brain to bounce back from stress and adverse life events. When the brain is less resilient, the person is more susceptible to experiencing stressful events that can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Childhood trauma and mental health disorders such as depression and substance use disorders can reduce brain resilience and increase the risk of suicide.”
Social media has been referred to as one of the leading causes of suicide, where social comparison takes place, triggering low self-esteem and high social anxiety among students. On the impact of social media on mental health, he adds, “Each brain perceives social media differently. For example, teenage brains tend to relate more to trending pop culture. The Instagram generation seeks comfort in reels and stories. When individuals compare themselves to their wealthy or more successful peers on social media, it can shatter their self-esteem. Furthermore, a gradual decline in meaningful human connections can make individuals more vulnerable to stressful events, with no one to share their problems with other than a phone screen.”
It comes down to the educational institutions to study more about the prevalent issue and come up with solutions to tackle it.
“An efficient support system and mental health awareness programmes are essential both at home and in school to identify at-risk individuals and promote mental wellbeing. Mental health awareness programmes should be implemented at the school level, including stress management, coping skills, and regular physical exercises as part of the curriculum, not just extracurricular activities,” suggests the psychiatrist.
‘Creating a welcoming environment
is a school’s primary responsibility’
As most of the suicide cases are being reported either in hostels or the school/college buildings, the role of educational institution is crucial in dealing with the issue.
Sharing her views on this, Madhumita Mohapatra, the Founder/Principal of D.P. Model Public School in Bhubaneswar, says that high parental expectations can lead to mental illness when children are unable to communicate effectively. She identifies other contributing factors to the rise in suicide rates, such as exposure to social media, sophisticated lifestyle, and the trend of nuclear families.
According to Mohapatra, schools or educational institutions play a vital role in promoting a healthy lifestyle for children, as they spend a significant amount of time there. In her view, schools are responsible for fostering a child’s academic and mental growth in a balanced manner.
Mohapatra emphasises that a school’s primary responsibility is to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children can think, act, and create freely. Schools must strive to make students feel at home, with the Principal playing the role of a surrogate mother.
Discipline is necessary, but excessive control can be detrimental to a child’s development. Children should be encouraged to explore and not feel restricted by arbitrary rules. To prevent discrimination, schools should avoid creating exclusive groups or classes, advises Mohapatra.
According to her, direct engagement with students, individual conversations with them, the incorporation of enjoyable games, sports, and activities, the delegation of more responsibilities, and their involvement in various school activities, can play a big role in preventing such unfortunate incidents.
Role of social media
Weighing on the issue a neuropsychiatrist and wellness consultant Prof Dr Amrit Pattojoshi says, “There are multiple factors that contribute to student suicide, including social problems like social isolation, relational issues, lack of counselling, failure in exams, social stigma, family problems, depression, sleeping habits, unemployment, fear of exams, and peer pressure.”
He also expressed concerns about the role of social media. He says, “Social media can also have negative effects on students, including unhealthy comparison, fear of missing out (FOMO), cyberbullying, online reputational sabotage, and increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.”
This apart, it is important to identify risk factors such as abuse, mental disorders, access to lethal means, social isolation, chronic disease and disability, adds the professor.
“Once you spot risk factors, talk to the person, express your concern, suggest therapy, and help them identify and equip themselves with protective factors like building social connectedness, building self-esteem, having a sense of purpose in life, and identifying cultural, religious, or personal beliefs that discourage suicide,” he further says.
Pattojoshi emphasises the role of educational institutions and society when it comes to the prevention of suicide among students. Elaborating on the few possible actions on that front, he says, “To ensure that students receive the support they need, universities and schools must provide on-campus clinics or strong connections with local health services, and students must be made aware that they can speak to trained medical professionals and counsellors about their issues. Schools and universities should work on the prevention of mental health issues in young children, raise awareness about the problem, and support students to develop social and emotional skills and capabilities that promote lifelong mental health and wellbeing.”
“To help prevent suicide, it is important to talk to the person in a private place, express your concern, use active listening skills, educate parents and students on early signs and symptoms, create a safe and positive school or college environment, encourage social time, be supportive, and ask if the student has thoughts of suicide to build their self-awareness,” Dr. Pattajoshi signs off.
‘Mother’s role is crucial to her
children’s ability to communicate’
Sujata Satpathy, a parent of two daughters, comments on the issue from her observations: “The suicide incidents have an influence on the community. When a student attempts suicide, his or her friends are severely impacted. Some of them turn melancholic as a result, while others become preoccupied with their studies because it is a widespread issue and different individuals have different perspectives on the incidents.”
She suggests, “Since it is the duty of parents to guide their children, they should interact positively and amiably with them when discussing and resolving issues. When parents encourage their kids to study and succeed, it’s a good thing, but when they push them too hard for excellent grades, the kids become overworked and get stressed to perform well in school.”
Sujata also believes that social media has adverse effects on students. She says, “We did not have social media or the internet in our day; therefore, social media had no effect on us. It was quite simple for us to learn about how the kids were spending their lives. We would get together or have family discussions with the parents. Today, other people’s opinions are worth more than your own. The youngster won’t disclose any instances of mental abuse because they worry that the parents won’t understand. And after reading about such persecution in newspapers, s/he considers taking his own life without hesitation.”
According to Sujata, a mother’s role is crucial to her children’s ability to communicate and comprehend one another. Because her two daughters are at different levels of mental maturity from one another, she interacts with them differently. When she is with her elder daughter, she acts as an adult. However, when she is with the younger one, she becomes her friend and attempts to understand her viewpoint. She believes her elder daughter is far superior to her in terms of schooling. She confides in her mother and tells her everything that is happening, which is a better form of communication for parents to have with their kids.