Star-struck: Breakups drive them to death

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">• Glam girl Nafisa Joseph''s suicide has shaken many a middle class families which have aspiring children.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">• Bangalore has recorded a staggering 363 cases of suicide among females till July this year.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">• City also registers most number of cases of attempted suicides in the age group of 16 to 30 years.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">• The city''s biggest reason for attempted suicide in this age group is increasing casual involvement with the opposite sex.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">• A very big number of attempted suicides does not go into record books; only 10% of the cases of attempted suicide get psychiatric counselling.</span><br /><br />BANGALORE: The city better face it.Parental and societal discipline, which was so scrupulously adhered to in the city a few years ago, is fast deteriorating with teenagers and young adolescents redefining rules of living.<br /><br />This has led to drastic changes in the city''s social set-up, leading to increasing number of suicide cases among girls, declare psychiatrists.<br /><br />It''s a fast-paced phenomenon because Bangalore is getting more cosmopolitan and multi-cultural by the year, says senior consultant psychiatrist at Manipal Hospital Dr S G Muraliraj, who receives at least four cases of girls attempting suicide every week.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />The biggest reason for suicides among girls is break-ups of love affairs, followed by reasons such as scoring low grades, peer pressure, work pressure and marital disharmony among parents etc.<br /><br />"Suicides for break-ups or broken engagement is mostly seen in the age group of 16-24 years as these young girls are forced to handle such situations without adequate family support," Muraliraj says.<br /><br />The number of cases attempted suicides is high among girls because it is a way of attracting attention, although in their heart of hearts in most cases, there is fear of death and its aftermath. "Many perceive it as a heroic deed," says clinical psychologist Sujendra Prakash.<br /><br />Even as the patient is rushed to a hospital after attempting suicide, many fail to register it as an attempt to suicide as it would have medico-legal ramifications. "So several patients do not even seek the crucial psychiatric help," say specialists.<br /><br />PREVENTION, NOT CURE<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">How can parents and society help?</span><br /><br />Neither be over-protective nor be over-punitive towards their ''mistakes''.<br /><br />Employers and their HR team should take charge of their employees and counsel them <br />regularly.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Possible signs of persons contemplating suicide</span><br /><br />Parents and well-wishers should watch out for possible signs of contemplating suicide.<br /><br />Poor sleep/appetite for more than two days.<br /><br />Talking less than usual, withdrawn.<br /><br />Stop making plans for the future/not enjoying daily activities.</div> </div>