Every year in T&T, more than 100 people kill themselves–usually by hanging, drinking weedicides, or shooting themselves with a gun. And while some suicides may be planned, many others happen as impulse actions when an individual is faced with family or relationship traumas beyond their current ability to cope, says one suicide hotline worker.
Although there may be other reasons, he said relationships gone wrong are a major trigger. People who feel there's no form of help available, in a moment of despair, frustration or depression, may grab up any easily available means around them to end the pain of living.
Between 2005 and 2012, some 727 people officially died by suicide in T&T, according to reporter Susan Mohammed (Express, Sep 16, 2014). That's roughly about 100 a year. The real annual figure is probably much higher as many deaths may not be reported as suicides.
Health Ministry figures released in 2012 show a marked increase in the number of reported suicides, with an average of 1,000 admissions annually related to self-harm or suicide at the Regional Health Authorities.
For every single suicide, there are 20 others who have tried, estimates the World Health Organisation (WHO).
And it's not just adults; teenagers and youth, too, are killing themselves. WHO research shows that worldwide, suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15 to 29-year-olds. In T&T, Reporter Darcel Choy, in a November 2012 Newsday article, reported that teen suicide was increasing. She reported that in 2012, 14 per cent of students aged 13 to 16 made a suicide attempt and 17 per cent had seriously considered the option of suicide, according to a Global School Based Student Health Survey. Source of these figures was Michael McFarlane, director of Psychological Services at the Florida National Guard, who cited the figures at a press conference for an Adolescent Suicide Prevention Seminar at UWI.
Although in the past half-century, many countries have decriminalised suicide, making it easier for those thinking about it to seek help, in T&T it is still a criminal offense.
In November 2012, in reaction to Wayne Kublalsingh's first protest fast, the Attorney General, Anand Ramlogan, in response to Senior Counsel Dana Seetahal's statement that activist Wayne Kublalsingh could be charged under common law with attempted suicide, said: "It would appear that Seetahal's opinion is correct, suicide and attempted suicide are criminal offences. I am not aware, however that anyone has ever been charged under common law with the offence of attempted suicide." (Express, November 22, 2012)
The fact that it is still criminal, though, means people feel stigmatised and are reluctant to seek help.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its September 2014 report on suicide–its first on this topic–suicide is not just a private issue; it is very much a public health issue, because more than 800,000 people die by suicide globally every year, with devastating impacts on family, friends and communities.
Because taboo and stigma persist, people often do not seek help or are left alone, said Dr Margaret Chan, the WHO's Director-General, in the report.
She called for a multi-sectoral approach to help prevent such tragic loss.
Part of that approach, the WHO report says, involves creating a national suicide prevention strategy, which can include restricting means, reducing stigma, and training health workers, educators, police and other gatekeepers. Suicide, says the WHO, is preventable.
One body helping with local suicide prevention training in T&T is the Catholic Religious Educational Development Institute (Credi), a Catholic institution which offers courses in education, theology and music.
Credi recently invited UK social welfare expert Nick Barnes to hold one-day suicide intervention courses (with certification and accreditation by City & Guilds of London, UK) for local prisons officers, probation officers, first responders and institutional care staff.
The course is part of Credi's mission to offer courses in areas of need, said Wendy Imamshah, manager of Credi's programmes for Integral Human Development.
"Our whole focus in offering courses like this–we've done ones on youth trauma, too–is integral human development. We try to develop the entire person, not just their academics...This particular programme...came out of seeing what is happening in the schools; we realised that children are prone...imagine a child committing suicide on the day before SEA!" said Imamshah, who commented there was a dire shortage of guidance counsellors in schools.
So although T&T does not have a national suicide strategy yet, some steps are being taken. Said one prison officer after the December course:
"I really learned a lot, especially how to identify some of the signs of those at risk for suicide; because you can't help them unless you can identify the risks and signs... and I learned that intervention can help."
"There is a disjoint, a lack of coordination among our different service departments, eg Police Service, Prisons, Social Welfare...Everybody does things in their own little pockets."
Commented another prison officer: "It would be nice if we could have a conversation with policymakers, to work out a policy or a system of how to deal with suicide issues...When things happen to someone–for instance, you lose your job, your husband or wife leaves you, or you are depressed and see no hope–where do you go?"
TOMORROW: Trainer Nick Barnes talks about how to help people at risk for suicide
more info
?Vital global trends from WHO
'Preventing Suicide–A Global Imperative'
Highlights of the World Health Organisation's first suicide report, published Sept 4, 2014
�2 Every year, more than 800,000 people kill themselves. In 2012, there were 804,000 suicide deaths; a rate of 11.4 per 100,000 population
�2 This rate is under-reported; many suicides die uncounted. For each suicide, there may be 20 who have tried
�2 Globally, suicides account for 50 per cent of all violent deaths in men, and 71 per cent in women
�2 Suicide rates are highest for people aged 70 and over
�2 Globally, suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds
�2 Ingestion of pesticide, hanging and firearms are among the most common methods of suicide globally.
�2 75 per cent of global suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2012
�2 Restricting access to means helps prevent suicide (2014 WHO suicide report)
Some risk factors for suicide
�2 Abuse, violence, or relationships of conflict
�2 Difficulties in accessing, receiving health care
�2 Easily available means
�2 Stigma against people who seek help for suicidal behaviours, mental health problems and substance abuse problems
�2 Isolation
�2 For individuals: mental disorders, alcohol, financial loss, chronic pain, a family history of suicide, any previous suicide attempt (2014 WHO suicide report)
