BHOPAL: According to police data, there has been a decline in student suicide cases this year, compared to previous years. In 2019, 48 cases of student suicides were reported, including 23 male and 25 female students.
It grew around 15 percent in 2020 in which 53 student suicide cases were reported, including 31 male and 22 female students. This year almost no suicide cases were caused by failure in exams. Although a number of minor children’s suicides were reported wherein major cause was found to be addiction to smartphone or online gaming.
In such a case reported on September 8, a 12-year-old girl committed suicide by hanging herself at her home in Kolar. Neighbours told police that the girl's family members had scolded her for using smartphone too much, after which she took the extreme step.
Speaking on the issue, consultant psychiatrist Satyakant Trivedi said, usually student suicides were attributed to failure in exams or securing less percentage. Lockdown and Corona curfew gave them an opportunity to spend time with their family under supervision. This helped in increasing family bonding, they were also saved from exposure to drug addiction. Dr Trivedi said , parents should teach their children to manage stress properly. They should avoid instant gratification.
Nowadays parents are too protective, so children are not used to handling stress, adversities or trauma. So once the children are exposed to stress, they take impulsive steps. Mental disorders are increasing, but they are under-diagnosed and untreated. Sometimes there is unrecognised, untreated depression or petty issue that triggers extreme step.
