Counsel terminally ill patients, say experts

RANCHI: Family-related problems and health issues, which include terminal illness, are two prominent causes of suicide in the state.
According to a detailed analysis of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on suicide figures for 2014, of the 1,300 suicides in the state, 236 were related to family problems, with marriage-related issues topping the cause.Altogether 224 suicides had links with health issues, including 101 cases of simple illness, 38 cases of prolonged illness, 46 cases of insanity and 15 cases of those having diagnosed to be HIV-positive.
While some of the NGOs have been extending help to the youth, counselling them against suicidal thoughts arising out of career related problems, unemployment, love affairs and failure in examination; those related to illness and terminal diseases often go unnoticed.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Siddhartha Sinha said the underlying cause for every suicide is depression and such condition, once diagnosed can be treated even for terminally ill people. "Someone diagnosed with a cardiac problem starts thinking that he or she may not fulfil his duties in life and develops depression, which in an acute case can lead to suicidal tendency, which at times is successful. However, those suffering with cancer fail to cope up with the pain and decide to end their lives," he said, clarifying that there are anti-depressant medicines for both the conditions to be treated.
"While Seratraline is an antidepressant that is safe for the heart, duloxetine helps manage pain and depression for cancer patients," he said, calling for the need of awareness about mental health among general doctors.
Another consultant psychiatrist, working with Bansal Hospital SK Trivedi, pointed out to Werther effect, which says that information about suicide often triggers suicidal tendency in society. "There is a well-researched paper that finds direct link between rise in rate of suicide after publication of suicide-related reports and decrease in rate once awareness against the tendency is spread," he said, suggesting measures to avoid using any term that glorifies suicide.
Senior neurosurgeon and chief medical officer with Mahavir Medica hospital Dr Sanjay Kumar also believes that there is an urgent need for overall care of patients. "Though we are surgeons, we believe in preventive medication more than curative medication because afterall the life of patients should improve," he said. He added that yoga and meditation should be clubbed up with general treatment to help patients recover fast, physically as well as mentally.