Suicide In India-a Statistical Analysis

Suicide is the tragic and untimely loss of human life, all the more devastating and perplexing because it is a conscious and volitional act. Death is a tragedy and suicide is the ultimate tragedy. There is no acceptable reason why a person commits suicide. For many it is a response to loss, separation and despair. For some it represents relief from helpless existence and hopeless future. For some it may be an impulsive act or a revenge for rejection. Suicide can be response to disordered thinking, a toxic state or cognitive distortion. It is also difficult to explain why certain people take this decision while other in similar or even more verse situations does not. Suicide is the result of biological, genetic, psychological, social, cultural and environmental factors. Over one million people commit suicide every year the world over. It is estimated that by the year 2020, 1.53 million would die by suicide every year and suicide will represent the 2.4% total burden of disease. Suicide is a significant problem in India also with a reported rate of 10.8 per 100000 populations. However it may be considerable under estimate due to underreporting of many of these cases of suicides in India. Suicide and attempted suicide carry a huge social and economic cost for the individual, family, friends, and society. This paper analyzes some statistics related to suicide such as magnitude of the problem, causes, methods and some other factors related to suicides in India.