In 10 months of 2024, 109 people died by suicide in Goa

AUGUSTO RODRIGUES

PANJIM: Why is the world a happy state, plagued by statistics that, when you peel back a few layers, reveal the sad story, the idyll that Goa appears to be.

According to data available at the hospital, the forensic department of the Goa Medical College (GMC) has registered one hundred and nine cases of death by suicide since the beginning of 2024 till October 31.

While the average is twelve cases per lakh of population, Goa has an average of seventeen. Of the hundred and nine cases recorded in the GMC, there were seventy-four cases of suffocation due to hanging and thirty-five due to drowning.

“Suicide is slightly higher in Goa due to social pressure. The burden is not on the individual, but on society. The tendency to commit suicide rears its head when expectations are high and this happens in Goa because our level of education and standard of living are high,” says psychiatrist Dr Tanvi Pednekar working with the Directorate of Health Services (DHS).

“Due to the traditional gender role in our society, where men are expected to have strong emotional containment when in distress, they are more likely to hesitate to seek help and this is one of the reasons why men are more willing,” suggests Dr Shilpa Pandya, consultant psychiatrist at VM Salgaocar Hospital in Chicalim.

Goa is listed as one of the sewage states in the country and this is one of the reasons attributed to the higher suicide death rate in Goa.

“It would help if our country created crisis centers that offered more than just treatment, but also a safe, compassionate environment for recovery,” says Dr. Peter Castellino, founder of the Cause Of Our Joy (COOJ) Mental Health Foundation.

According to Dr Castellino, the lack of such centers is one of the reasons why the average number of people dying by suicide in Goa is higher than in other states.

“With education comes expectations, and not being able to meet them puts pressure on people. It is important to understand that suicide is not only the responsibility of the individual, but of the entire society. It’s a collective problem,” says Dr. Castellino.

That death by suicide is a social problem can be explained from the case of a Goan’s suicide reported from outside the state. In his note, he mentioned that by depriving him of the right to see his son, his wife, who had a mistress, had pushed him over the edge.

“My brother even went to the Women and Child Development Department (WCD) for help, hoping to see his son, and when he failed, he lost everything,” the victim’s brother wailed.

“When a person is under stress, it is best for them to first share it with someone close to them. Goa currently has two call centers – COOJ and Tele Manas, which provide 24/7 support. People should call before they think the worst,” suggests Dr. Pednekar.

Dr. Castelino believes that “The National Suicide Prevention Policy released in 2022, clearly highlights strategies that can be implemented, aims to reduce suicide in India. Being a small state, it would be easier for the Goa government to implement the policy, thus making us a model state.”

“Counseling has started in most local health centers and people have started visiting them. Mental health is a taboo in Goa and it is slowly disappearing,” admits Dr. Pednekar.

“According to documented reports, students are a group exposed to stress and suicide. Measures such as life skills training are important and should be compulsory in educational institutions, and the sale of poisonous substances to young people should be regulated,” advises Dr. Castellino.

“Death by suicide cannot be solved by the health care system alone. Multi-sectoral collaboration supported by research evidence is needed. To do this, we need to break the stigma and encourage research on preventive strategies,” Dr. Pednekar said.