Struggling with real-life problems, more Bangladeshi people of working age have a tendency to take their lives than those who actually commit suicide, studies suggest.
Around 10,000 people kill themselves in Bangladesh a year on average, estimates the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, adding that long-term mental health problems could cut life expectancy by 10 years on average.
A study by non-profit organisation Aachol Foundation has found that 49 per cent of suicide victims in the country are people aged between 20 and 35 years.
In a country that boasts of demographic dividend thanks to the higher young population, almost 20 per cent (18.7 per cent to be accurate) people of 18 years and above face mental disorders, says another study by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
“I found many university students were facing similar mental problems with many of them experiencing suicidal tendencies. It’s difficult to find a way-out; however, it’s easy if you find the right care or support,” Aachol Foundation’s founder President Md Tansen Rose told The Financial Express during a recent interview.
His organisation works on building awareness about mental healthcare and carries out a campaign against suicide among students and the youths aged between 18 years and 35 years.
However, studies show, people are not very willing to take mental care and thus get rid of suicidal tendencies since, they fear, seeking mental healthcare support might stigmatise them socially.
Furthermore, according to stakeholders, a serious shortage of mental health professionals is a major challenge for authorities to offer supports to the commoners.
There are a total of 270 psychiatrists and no more than 500 psychologists in the country, said NIMH.
Aachol Foundation’s study pointed out that between March 2020 and February 2021, the number of people who fell victim of suicide was 14,436, a 70 per cent higher than the number of lives claimed by the coronavirus during the period.
The government had in 2018 replaced a 1912 Lunacy Act with the Mental Health Act, in order to help the people who are struggling with mental illness.
On the eve of the World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, Mr Tansen talked to The Financial Express and shared his experience and views about how people are mentally stressed and bearing suicidal tendencies in mind.
Following are excerpts from the interview
FE: How have you got the inspiration to work on the youths’ mental healthcare issues?
Tansen Rose (TR): I got admission to the marketing department of Dhaka University in the 2013-14 session. Being among the top scorers at my remote village in the island Bhola district, I found myself nearly helpless among hundreds of DU students.
I got stressed when I scored poorly in my class examinations and was worried about my career. I had eventually become depressed and started facing mental problems. I found many university students were facing similar mental problems with many of them experiencing suicidal tendencies.
It’s difficult to find a way-out; however, it’s easy if you find the right care or support. Therefore, I established the social organisation along with some of my fellow students in 2019. Now we have about 500 volunteers and activists at over 42 public and private universities.
FE: What kind of challenges are you experiencing while supporting the youths?
TR: It’s still challenging to avail related data from the authorities concerned about sufferers as they don’t want to share information on demand which we need to go deep into the issues and provide counseling.
Victims or their families also don’t want to share their very stories as they feel insecure and socially stigmatised once their stories come to the public sphere.
We, in our recent study and works, found that 95 per cent people were aware of mental illness but 93 per cent of them don’t come to mental health experts for consultation.
FE: What else is prompting the people not to come out to seek mental healthcare?
TR: People still believe that physical health is the only care they need at a healthcare centre. And, the government should also extend healthcare coverage to the field of mental health.
We have to extend mental healthcare facilities at all the general hospitals so that people can have the access to mental care without any hesitation, hassle and fear of being stigmatised during treatment.
The government should extend the mental care at the local hospital and minimise the information gap so that people can find the right place for their illness.
FE: How would we understand that one is experiencing a suicidal tendency?
TR: A man faces suicidal tendency when s/he wants to share their mental stress or discomfort but doesn’t find the right person or support to share his/her story. Therefore, we have to teach our near and dear ones if there is any story to tell or share that can save their life.
We need more awareness-building programmes and easy access to mental healthcare, certainly to help people understand which types of symptoms are considered to be the signs of suicide tendency.
FE: How can immediate support be provided to anyone facing mental illness?
TR: We need to run a big mental health campaign and mass fast aid training, including in every family, so that family members can extend mental support as an immediate measure.
The healthcare authorities are required to launch a national hotline number for mental healthcare and suicide prevention as measures of prompt action.
The government agencies, however, also should monitor regularly as some unscrupulous people and organisations are cheating people in the name of providing mental healthcare.