– suicide rate down
One year ago, faced with joblessness and still suffering from the fact that he had lost two of his fingers, which he saw as a handicap, Brian (not his real name) drank 19 Panadol tablets which resulted in him being hospitalized for eight days. He was just 23 years old.
“I was just sitting there one day, and I was at my wits end and I told myself that I exhaust all possibility and I went to the shop and I bought 20 Panadols, went into the toilet and I consumed 19, the last one slipped and fell into the toilet bowl and that is why I didn’t drink it. I subsequently collapsed and was rushed to the hospital,” the young man told the Sunday Stabroek in a recent interview.
He recalled that he was at home alone at the time but a relative arrived shortly after and he was rushed to the hospital where he received needed treatment.
Brian is one of the many persons—old and young—in Guyana who have attempted to take their lives and over the years many have succeeded.