Case 1: Rinki Gupta, a middle aged woman and wife of cloth merchant Manish Gupta, resident of Chutia area committed suicide at her house after a brawl with her husband over some trivial issue on Saturday. The husband was insisting Rinki to focus on their kids online studies as schools are closed due to lockdown.
Case 2: Senior journalist PV Ramanujam allegedly committed suicide on August 12, as he was unable to cope with work pressure. Ramanujam was found hanging from the fan in his office-cum-residence. The police claim that according to friends and family members, Ramanujam had been stressed recently.
In both the cases depression coupled with the lockdown has been the reason behind suicides. Sources said that in past six months since the lockdown was imposed in State, Jharkhand has witnessed several cases of suicide where people have chosen to end their lives due to depression rather than fighting life.
Psychiatrists say economic slowdown, fear of losing jobs, unemployment and other factors caused depression among people are some of the reasons behind suicides.
All the facilities received several cases of anxiety and fear psychosis that are likely to precipitate into suicidal tendencies. In most cases depression is main reason suicide as people are unable to cope up with mental stress.
Sources said that as per National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) the number of people committing suicides has gone up in State since lockdown was imposed in State.
Around 1,010 have died by suicide in Jharkhand in just five months (from March to July), as per the records of the state crime records bureau (SCRB).
Nishant Goyal, assistant professor of psychiatry at Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP) said, “In last six months there has been jump in psychiatric cases. People are visiting institute for getting rid of depression. If depression level increases there is suicide tendency among people.”
Goyal said, “There are several reasons behind depression such as financial crunch, loss of job, living alone, and fear of getting corona virus. The best way to get rid of depression and suicidal tendencies is to divert the mind of patients. Family members should talk to such patient.”
Echoing the views of Goyal, senior resident of psychiatry at RINPAS, Dr Siddhartha Sinha said, “The corona infection has many side effects. As people are losing jobs, suffering from financial crunch there is increased tendencies among people to commit suicide. Government should set up more suicide helpline, there should be awareness about mental illness and health.”
Sinha said that apart from these social stigmas about mental illness should be addressed. He said, “Due to social stigma people are keeping distance from patients suffering from mental illness also myths about side effects of consuming psychiatric drugs should be cleared.”