The Hindu : Teachers can help prevent student suicides

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 03, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Teachers can help prevent student suicides

By K. Satyamurty

BANGALORE, APRIL 2. Many students would have barely got over the stress of writing their final examinations before they are overtaken by anxiety about their results.

Studies done by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) show that suicides are increasing in Bangalore, and most victims (42 per cent) are in the 15-24 age group. Attempted suicides are common (26 per cent) in the 20-24 year age group. Despite inadequate records, many in these groups are presumed to be students.

G. Gururaj, Professor of Epidemiology, and Mohan K. Isaaac, Professor of Psychiatry at NIMHANS, have jointly published the "Epidemiology of suicides in Bangalore." In regard to student suicides and attempted suicides, they recommend a joint preventive strategy involving, teachers, counsellors, parents, and students.

"Every high school and college should have at least one counsellor or teacher trained in counselling. They should be able to identify students in distress, counsel them, and make suitable referrals,'' Dr. Gururaj says.

Student counsellors across the city feel the education system gives more importance to academics than overall development of students. This tends to promote unhealthy competition and brings stress on students. Parents contribute by always asking children to get high grades or by comparing them with better performing children. When students are unable to handle this stress on their own, suicide is considered as "a method to overcome this crisis,'' Dr. Gururaj says.

Students are often unable to discuss their problems with parents due to a real or imagined generation gap. Parents with fast-paced lifestyles cannot spend time with children. The result is a communication gap.

To overcome this, regular parent-teacher meetings have been suggested. These meeting help parents understand if their child has any academic or behavioural limitations. The meetings can also sensitise parents to their role in the growth of their children. They can also bring out the importance of parent-child interaction at home in a participatory, non-threatening, and friendly environment.

High school and college students are susceptible to psychological distress because of high academic expectation from parents, peer group pressures, failure to accept their own limitations, and high ambitions.

"The role of a student counsellor must be not only to identify students with problems but also promote the overall mental health of students,'' Dr. Gururaj.

Timely intervention can prevent many student suicides or attempts.

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