We have to find pragmatic ways to curb suicide

Dear Editor,

We are all deeply saddened by the scourge of suicide that has reached pandemic proportions in our country. Region Two alone had about nine suicides and two attempts since the beginning of 2016 while other regions had a smaller number. Whether the number is large or small, we as a country need to deal with this plague in proactive ways. It is of little use fiddling, theorizing and lamenting if we do not find pragmatic ways of curbing this epidemic. All stakeholders ‒ and this means literally everyone ‒ have a vested interest in preventing suicide and, therefore, all should be involved at various levels in preempting it.

Since most suicides are committed by young people, schools should be totally involved in tackling the situation. Ideally each school should have a trained counsellor. In the absence of this, the available counsellors, psychiatrists, social workers and psychologists, religious and other leaders (who can be considered as role models) should visit schools regularly and deliver motivational talks to the student body. Also, these professionals and leaders should educate the staff at staff meetings on how to detect students who may be prone to suicide. Certain signs and symptoms should send warning signals that all is not well. For instance:

1. Changes in mood from jovial to sad; sociable to withdrawn, and becoming a loner; full of life to a loss of interest in activities, etc.
2. Signs of bruises, cuts, welts and other marks; wearing long-sleeved shirts, buttoned up, possibly to cover marks of violence; neglect of neatness and appearance
3. Economic abuse when the breadwinner shortchanges dependents usually resulting in a poor quality of food or no food at all, a lack of school supplies and low self-esteem

These and other signs and symptoms should raise red flags which should be obvious, although an untrained, casual observer might look but will not see.

Additionally, schools should:

1. Have zero tolerance for bullying which can lead to depression. The rules should be clear, emphasized often and strictly implemented.
2. Abolish corporal punishment which is archaic and can lead to serious problems if a child is already abused at home—physically, psychologically, economically, verbally and otherwise.
3. Schools should raise funds and have school feeding programmes for deprived students.
4. All schools should have vibrant clubs—sports, drama, poetry and writing, art and craft, newspaper, yearbook, gardening, etc—to bring out students’ potentials, keep them occupied constructively and boost their self-worth.
5. Test for illegal drug use, with the consent of parents, with the aim of intervention
6. Have a Parents’ Day each term/semester to educate parents on parenting skills and best practices.

Children spend more time with their parents who are the first ones to socialize them. My advice to parents:

1. Show love to your children; they did not ask to be born.
2. Don’t beat your children. Use other forms of discipline—grounding (taking away certain privileges temporarily), giving extra chores, etc; do not starve your children as a form of disciplining them.
3. Monitor your children’s activities and make sure they keep the right friends, and do the right things, watch appropriate TV programmes and listen to good music. (The generation gap may cause differences of taste, but you should recognize moderate from extreme.)
4. Spend quality time with your children, ask them probing questions about school, activities and friends. Go to church, parks, resorts and other places with them.

In the modern world it is no longer our business, like before, what others do in public. However, we can still be good samaritans and be our brothers’ (and sisters) keepers. If our objective is to have a good quality of life and prevent suicide, we all can contribute to the betterment of others.

My take:

1. Businesses, especially big ones, should put back something into the community from where they accrue their wealth. They should provide scholarships, provide supplies for school feeding programmes, contribute to the building and upgrading of parks and assist the police and medical clinics with equipment.
2. The Education Department should employ Truant Officers to monitor absenteeism; the officers seek out school-age children at home and on the streets and liaise with the parents and other authorities. Neighbourhood police can assist in this.
3. We can all help people truly in need, whether financially or emotionally—by cash or kindness—(do not provoke differently-abled, the mentally ill or physically infirm, just to have a kick) so that their lives can be worthwhile, for we do not know what karma has in store for us as the world goes around.
4. Crimes are committed due to means, motive and opportunity. We should not only get rid of the motive, but also of the means and opportunity. Poisonous substances such as gramoxone, as well as all medication, should be secured with locks. Better yet, the location of poisons should not be disclosed to everybody; parents are culpable for carelessly placing these substances where everyone can easily access them. Also, pharmacies should not dispense certain drugs without a prescription. While overdoses cannot be easily monitored, accessibility can be.

Editor, I do hope that the people read, digest and implement these ideas which I accumulated from years of being in schools in five countries and from decades of training in education and counselling. While we may not be able to save everyone, as crimes of passion can be spontaneous, it is my fervent hope that this scourge will come to an end, sooner rather than later.

Yours faithfully,
Karan Chand
Educationist
Region Two