Suriname-based psychologist/psychoanalyst Professor Tobi Graafsma on Monday held a mental health workshop on suicide prevention for ministry officials and other stakeholders aimed at helping them to better identify and address risk factors.
According to a Government Infor-mation Agency (GINA) report, in his address at the forum, held at the National Library, Graafsma said suicide is a threat to persons who are feeling oppressed and those with a desire to change an unbearable situation due to risk factors, which may include mental disorder, personality disorder, alcohol dependence, and some physical illnesses, including neurological disorders, cancer, and HIV infection. Suicide attempts by such persons are not specifically because they want to die, he said, but because they feel that it as a means to end a (mental) crisis.
“In my 13 years of experience in Suriname, I have seen many persons, who have attempted suicide, and when we questioned them, they do not want to die, but to end their situation,” Graafsma said. There are almost one million deaths worldwide per year due to suicide. In Suriname, since the year 2000, 1400 individuals have lost their lives through suicide, and almost 12,000 people attempted suicide which resulted in failure. In addition, he said, most of the persons who unsuccessfully attempted suicide, when questioned, said they had attempted it before.
The professor noted that measures must be put in place to maintain contact with suicide survivors and further educate the populace on suicide threats. There is psychological treatment for survivors, including counselling. There are also many kinds of medications that are effective. According to the professor, there should also be public health programmes aimed at educating persons on access to health care, as well as screening on depression in schools and the giving of primary health care, which is also a major factor in helping to prevent suicide. He said there should also be school programmes directed at discussions on suicide and how to deal with its effects.
Last year, several workshops were held in Guyana aimed at reducing the suicide rates in the country. A National Mental Health Action Plan has also been developed to deal with several aspects of mental health. The plan focuses on integrating mental health into the primary health care services and would include training for family doctors, nurses and medex in mental health management along with improving psychiatric services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). It also touches on other aspects that include the development of a National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS), a Homeless Action Plan (HAP) and a Drug Rehabilitation Programme (DRP).
