Suicide is the act of taking one’s life intentionally. In Kashmir, with each passing day, suicides are increasing. In the past there was no notion of suicide but today we see suicide is the second leading cause of death all over the world. It is not a one day affair. But it is the culmination of many factors that make it possible. Time is also an important factor in this. There are many causes responsible for this. The first is depression. It means when we cannot live our life normally. Many people are suffering from depression. It affects their daily routines. The second is diseases. These cost a lot of money to cure them. It puts an extra burden on the family. The third is family disputes. These force a person to choose the path of suicide. The family members do not know how much the family disputes affect children. The fourth is poverty. They cannot manage one meal a day. Moreover, they cannot manage many things like good education for their children and clothes. In short they cannot live a good life and many children commit suicide due to their financial condition. The fifth is marriage-related issues. In many families, a girl or a boy is compelled to marry a person whom they do not like. The sixth is child marriage . The seventh is career-related frustrations. When a person cannot find a perfect career, it can lead to suicide. The eighth is dowry. Many fathers cannot afford dowry for their daughters. So without dowry, they are not able to marry their daughters and many daughters commit suicide. The ninth is the mind set of perfection. Many teens and adults cannot bear the pressure of perfection and can result in suicides. The tenth is the failures in examination. Many students fail in examinations and some don’t get grades. It can also lead to suicide. The eleventh is relationships. Many people cannot tolerate rejection, disputes, breakups, egoism and due to a toxic relationship, people commit suicide. Losing a loved one can also lead to suicide. The twelfth and last is drug addiction. It is a curse in our society. Many teens and adults are involved in drug addiction. Consuming drugs cause anxiety and depression in them. They lose their self control. They get strokes and when they do not get money for drugs, they get frustrated and commit suicide. There are many ways to stop this scourge. The first and foremost is parents should talk to their children.
When they don’t talk to their children, they become socially isolated. They should keep an eye on the activities of their children. They should consult a counselor for their children if they feel he or she is depressed. They should not take it lightly if their children avoid eating. Parents should understand that a teen can be depressed due to many changes going in and around them. They should encourage their children to face problems and make them brave. They should make it clear to them that problems are temporary but life is all about living. If children fail in examination, they should motivate them to fight again. They should understand their emotional feelings. Moreover, every sane person has to contribute his or her bit. The Government has also a role to play in this. Last but not least, we must help those who are financially weak. It can save the lives of many people. Life is all about living. Problems are a part and parcel of this ephemeral life. Be grateful at every moment. So, prefer life to death.
(The author a resident of Khushipora Budgam is a freelancer. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are author’s own and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
