The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Be alert to the warning signs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Be alert to the warning signs

Staff Reporter

A suicide has brought the focus back on youngsters' ability to cope with pressure

Bangalore: The death of Varun, a II PU student who was found hanging in his home on Friday, has again turned the focus to an increasing number of youngsters finding themselves alone and misfits in this crowded world, not being able to cope with the pressures of life. According to the police, 17-year-old Varun locked himself up in his room and tried to "experiment what suicide means" by using a nylon rope. A loner but a brilliant student, he was reportedly interested in ghosts and spirits and used to watch horror movies alone in his room. His parents said they did not suspect anything wrong. What went wrong? "In cases of unexplained suicides, where a teenager is isolated and engaged in some meaningless, repetitive activity (in this case watching horror films) and where parents and relatives express shock and disbelief at what has happened, there is reason to suspect an undiagnosed illness," said M.V. Ashok, consultant psychiatrist, St. John's Medical College Hospital.

Dr. Ashok added that most youngsters find horror movies exciting and therefore, may watch them for that aspect. But cases of teenagers being influenced by a horror movie to take such an extreme step are rare. "But spending long hours in the room alone should have raised the suspicion of friends or relatives that there was a problem," he added. Lata Jacob, counsellor and administrator of Medico-Pastoral Association, which runs the suicide prevention helpline, Sahai, said parents should be more alert to the needs of their children and try to help them by talking to them and showing their support.

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