Connect, Communicate, Care to prevent Suicide- Dr Ravish Thunga

Connect, Communicate, Care to prevent Suicide- Dr Ravish Thunga on WSP day

Mangaluru: The Health and Family Welfare (psychiatric Department) in association with the Police commissionerate, observed “World Suicide prevention Day – 2016” under the theme of Connect, Communicate and Care , at the commissioner’s office here on September 16.

The programme began with an invocation. Dr Ratnakar welcomed the gathering and delivered the keynote address. Dr Ratnakar said that the people are ready to go to the doctor when they have a cough or cold but they are hesitant to go to the doctor when they feel they have mental problems. They are afraid to go to a psychiatric because of superstitious beliefs. This should change, to bring awareness among the people we need to organize workshops to the teachers, youth and police personnel so that they can help other people when they are in depression or stress.

The programme was inaugurated by the District Health Officer Dr Ramakrishna by lighting the traditional lamp along with other dignitaries on the dais.

Addressing the gathering Dr Ramakrishna said, “Last year we had organized the World Suicide prevention Day at the Town hall for farmers because farmers were facing problems and were suffering from suicidal tendencies. This year we thought of organizing the programme with the police department. When there is an illness in the body, the mind also suffers. Suicide is a momentary decision, sometimes a person may have strong feelings that are hard to deal with. He/she may feel like things will never be better and think of ending life, but the problem will not end there. The person who commits suicide will end his life, but problems will start for his family”.

He further said that suicide is a crime. When we find anyone suffering from stress or depression, we should help that person with counseling him / her. Any person who is in depression needs support and care. Mental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disturbances in thought and/or behavior, resulting in an inability to cope with life’s ordinary demands and routines. Any person without reason will not take such a drastic step to end his / her life. Today we are here to bring awareness among the police because police are in touch with the people in the society.

DCP Crime and Traffic Dr Sanjeev Patil said, “Suicide is a peculiar problem. In the world every year 8 lakh people commit suicide. In India every year 1.4 lakh people commit suicide. if you compare, the same number of people die in road accidents in our country. What is alarming is that 2/3 of the deaths are preventable. If we see the pattern, 80% of literates commit suicide. We need to think why there is an increase in suicide cases. Some of the people who commit suicide suffer from chronic illness, mental illness and other deadly diseases. In DK 650 people committed suicide. When a person commits suicide, his problem ends but his /her family suffers. When there is a problem, he/she is not ready to accept and open up. When we avoid negative thoughts we can avoid suicides. Let us all work to avoid people from committing suicide”.

Whoever comes to the police station, show compassion towards them and help them to avoid from taking the drastic step, Said Dr Sanjeev Patil.

DCP law and order Shantharaju in his presidential address said that in the changing society we are leading a stressful life. The power of positive thinking will keep a person to minimize the stress in tough situations. Many times people get into depression but we fail to understand their mental status. In such a situation we need to identify their problem and with a little empathy can help them to overcome the situation.

He also said that if you are stuck in a very bad situation and if you are optimistic you will find a way to make it better. Unlike a pessimist, people with positive trait have the mindset that “everything will eventually get better”, therefore they automatically become less stressed since they know that for every difficult time there is always a solution.

Prof and HOD of Psychiatric Department A J Hospital Dr Ravish Thunga speaking on the occasion said, “Today we are observing ‘World Suicide Prevention day’. This day should not be limited only for a day, we need to bring awareness among the people. If the media highlights these issues and conveys the message it will reach a large number of people. We can deliver speeches inside the four walls but the message should reach the people and the media is the medium to reach the people”.

Dr Thunga further said that we doctors, police and professionals also have to tackle stress in our own field. We connect, communicate and care for others in everyday life. According to the law suicide is a crime and when anyone attempts to commit suicide we file a medico-legal case. In our life, we too face stress but we share it with others. Any person can be a victim of mental pressure, which is like a weighing scale. When we cannot fulfill our expectations, within our capacity, we feel depressed. Our capacity is fixed, but our demands increase. When our demands increase and we are unable to fulfill them we feel the mental pressure. If the pressure continues every day, it is sure to blast one day. But if we recognize our mental pressure and treat it, we can avoid a number of problems.

We do not know where our mind is, because the mind cannot be seen, it is an experience. The mind is like a triangle with three corners, they are thinking (cognition), feeling (emotion) and behaviour (action). These three aspects are interconnected. If the thinking, feeling and behaviour is balanced, you will not have mental pressure. We should know our limitations to avoid a psychological problem.

There was an interaction session. District Medical officer Dr Rajeshwari also spoke on the occasion. Jayaram Poojary compered the programme. ACP crime Uday Nayak, ACP traffic Thilakchandra, Police inspectors and sub-inspectors from all the police stations were also present.

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