What’s with these suicides

Nov 12, 2009 Editorial

Just a few weeks ago Dr Leslie Ramsammy decided to take the bull by the horns and to address the issue of suicides. The statistics have been revealing over the years that suicides were highest in agricultural communities and most prevalent in Berbice.
A study commissioned by Psychiatrist Dr Frank Beckles details the age groups, the ethnic composition, the occupation and the geography of the suicides. It makes for distressing reading but it offers some base from which this scourge can be attacked.
For example, it has been concluded that alcoholics are most likely to commit suicide and more often than not, the act occurs when the victim is in a drunken rage.
One finding was that people close to the victim often failed to detect signs of a possible suicide. Of course, many would argue that they least expect such thoughts to prevail in the minds of people close to them. However, with the study, the focus is on alcoholics.
But suicides occur for a variety of reasons. Until recently, people infected with HIV were so devastated that they took their lives. Unrequited love played a part among some young people.
Another finding was that suicides were more likely to occur among the less educated. But this past week, there have been two suicides that have set tongues wagging and have caused many to sit up and to take notice.
The victims were extremely intelligent, in fact more academically qualified than most in the country. One was a model student from a stable home with no know problems. Quality of life was certainly not an issue here but suicide was the end result never the less. This then brings one to the issue of paying close attention to people in our immediate environment.
In the case of the young woman who took the big leap from the lip of Kaieteur Falls, one must examine the root cause. However, this is easier said than done because people, especially family members, tend to clam up when asked searching questions. It is as if the family unit sees the need to close ranks and to protect.
Some time ago, there was a focus on the need for more psychiatrists. At a recent check there were no more than three in the entire country and one was almost retired. These people are expected to treat the dozens of mentally ill people and at the same time to help so-called normal people cope with stresses of daily life.
In Guyana, we are not prone to seeking psychiatric help. We hold the view that anyone who seeks psychiatric help is a lunatic. We do not recognize that psychiatric help is a normal part of life— a coping mechanism in an increasingly difficult world where competition seems to be on the increase.
As young people there is the stress of coping with domineering parents who expect to live their lives through their children. As adults some of us cannot accept mistakes and allow these to dominate our thoughts.
One thing that must be encouraged more now than ever is conversation. We must speak to our family members more rather than take them for granted. A simple conversation could avert many suicides.
If only there was conversation we suspect that two young people would have been alive today. Surely they might have had problems but through dialogue the victim might have been made to realize that there is no problem that is insurmountable.
Yet there is the other side to the coin. Perhaps it is time that Guyana focuses on training more psychiatrists. Mental health is an integral factor in national life. Some people because of mental health need anger management, some need treatment for depression; some need help for hyperactivity; for insomnia and the gamut of ills.
Many of these are not easily identifiable. Perhaps there is need for a body of literature. The more enlightened we are the less could be the incidence of suicides.

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What’s with these suicides

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