World Suicide Prevention Day 2013

 

Today –September 10- is World Suicide Prevention Day. It is a day to create awareness about suicide. A day to bring suicide to people’s attention. A day to help those who are contemplating it. A day to help them overcome it.

Many countries have programmes to celebrate this day. Some are long term. Some are short term, very short term. It’s like there’s a lot of awareness via print and electronic advertisements on the day, but like all other things, it fades away once the day’s over. I’ve never seen a comprehensive plan in Sri Lanka which addresses mental health. I doubt I would ever come across one either.

I say this with experience.

Unlike other things that have a ‘special day’ of its own, things to do with mental health, don’t really go down well with most societies of the world, especially Sri Lanka. Suicide, depression, therapy etc are the elephants in the room no one wants to talk about, but know it’s there.

I say this, because I have been there.

I have been more than a little depressed since my teens and this has led me through some really dark times. So dark sometimes that I could not see the light or feel the warmth. I could not connect with people, my family or friends. I felt lost and alone. 

My only output for this was to write. I started using my writing, poetry as a method of catharsis to purge myself of these feelings. It does help, but not completely. Most of my friends who read my poems would ask me why my writing was so dark and cold in nature. I guess when I go back and read through them, they do come out as rather sinister. Sometimes, even the writing didn't help. All I would want to do is to curl up in a corner and wait. 

I won't deny that I haven't had suicidal thoughts. They have been more than a little frequent. So when I say I understand when someone's feeling depressed and suicidal, I really do mean it! People around me don't think I am the kind of person who's depressed or suicidal for that matter. When I spoke to doctors about it, they thought it was a joke. Some say, I am too rational to be suicidal. *sigh* If that's the professional advice they have to give, I really don't know where people are going to be! 

I say this, because I know there are many out there and among my friends who are depressed or having thoughts of suicide. People in general don't realise the gravity of it nor do those nearest and dearest to them.  

Anyway, what I want to say is, on a day like this, people should be made more aware of what an individual who is depressed or suicidal goes through. Make them empathise.