Suicide rates in India are highest in the 15-29 age group

Young Indians are more likely to commit suicide than previously thought, especially those living in wealthier and more educated regions, according to a study on Friday that experts say suggests India's rapid development is driving many youths to despair.

Opportunities that have come with two decades of economic boom and open MARKETS have also brought more job anxiety, higher expectations and more pressure to achieve, mental heal
th experts said.

India has some of the world's highest suicide rates, with many believing the biggest risk group to be rural farmers facing debt after poor harvests.

However, the study - published in the Lancet medical journal on Friday - says suicide rates are highest in the 15-29 age group, peaking in southern regions that are considered richer and more developed with better education, social welfare and health care.

That puts the young at high risk - a new phenomenon experts said has happened recently as more middle-class youths strive to meet achievement expectations, and new technologies like cell phones and social networking sites help break down traditional family units once relied on for support.

Overall, the report uses a national government survey of deaths in 2001-03 to estimate 187,000 suicides took place in 2010, making it the cause of 3 per cent of deaths that year.

The WHO reports about 1 million suicides a year, which would be a rate of about 14 per 100,000 in a global population of 7 billion. By comparison, the U.S. had 37,790 suicides in 2010, or a rate of 12.2 per 100,000, while India's rate under the Lancet's projected suicide tally of 187,000 would be near 16 - far higher than earlier reports and estimates of around 10.

There has been little scientific examination of suicide motives in India.

While The Lancet study does not address the question of motivation, the report's authors, as well as experts not associated with the study, saw few likely reasons for the rise in suicide among young people beyond the increased pressure that has come with new economic opportunity and social fragmentation.

The higher rates may come from "the greater likelihood of disappointments when aspirations that define success and happiness are distorted or unmet by the reality faced by young people in a rapidly changing society," said Dr. Vikram Patel, one of the report's authors, in an editorial printed in The Hindu.

He also noted online social networking was making "loneliness more common." He admits his conclusion is conjecture, but says "I cannot think of any more plausible explanation."

Among men, 40 per cent of suicides were among people age 15-29. For women, it was nearly 60 per cent.

The numbers mean young men are nearly as likely to die from suicide as in traffic accidents, while rates of suicide among young women are nearly as high as the rate of death by complications from pregnancy or childbirth.

The revelation has shocked many in a country notorious for poor maternal health care statistics.

"We can only guess broadly at what might be behind it. People say partially the rapid changes on society that have come with globalization, the breakdown of the families," said Dr. Roy Abraham, president of the Indian Psychiatric Society.

There are few facilities in India for mental health problems, and stigmas prevent many people from seeking support. Telephone help lines are often not adequately staffed, and many schools do not have counsellors.

"Mental health is not a priority in India," he said. "It has to be a priority. Many people are not aware of the fact that mental health is behind suicide."

Courts are starting to mandate programs for educating people about public health issues including suicide, sexuality and drug abuse, experts said.

"The young face very high competition and pressure from families to succeed. Many parents think their child should come first in the class. Of course, that can't happen," said Dr. T.S. Sathyanarayana Rao, head of psychiatry at J. S. S. Medical College & Hospital in Mysore, 140 kilometers (87 miles) from the nation's technology centre of Bangalore.

When youths start to despair, they often don't think to seek help, or shun the idea because "they think psychiatry is only for crazy people," he said.

Many suicide cases still go unreported, expert said, as people hide what is still an illegal act in India, the report says.

Exam has become suicide reason??

To most of us exams are worse than Chinese torture. Believe it or not there are people out there who can't wait to take an exam and prove themselves. If this is unbelievable, think of what you know you are good at and how you feel when you have a chance to demonstrate that skill.

For example, you know you can run faster than the wind and tomorrow is the school sports competition. Or you have a beautiful dress and tomorrow you get to wear it. Imagine the thrill and anticipation you will feel. For a lot of people, exams are like that. And you can feel that way too.

Here are the reasons we usually don't feel that way :

The number one reason we are scared of exams is because we know we are not prepared. If this is the case with you, unfortunately, there is no magic formula that can make exams tasty for you. Read the other articles in this section, and like top students, develop the habit of starting early. Decide on you about the your result from day one and visualize it everyday. You will be calm on exam day.

Many of us underestimate ourselves or our preparation. Most of us are better prepared than we think. Auto suggestions and affirmation scan help you feel more confident about yourself and your preparation. You can find some auto suggestions for students here.

Some of your friends may be on the verge of a nervous breakdown because of the coming exam. Others may be saying, "Oh I finished my preparation for this paper three months ago and I have reviewed everything 10 times!". Both can make you nervous. But don't let them. If you find you are being influenced by them, simply avoid them.

For some of us, even the possibility of not doing well in the exam is unthinkable. Subconsciously, we may be nurturing unreasonable beliefs such as 'If I don't do well in this exam I am a failure as a person', or ' If I don't do well in this exam my parents won't love me any more.' Thinking not doing well is absolutely unacceptable makes us exam phobic. If you think you have any such unreasonable belief deep down, you can change them by doing the negative thoughts meditation. Exams are important but they are not everything. So take it easy.

Develop Skills and creativity in Children

Today, there are many online education resources for nursery and primary school children. They offer the best quality of products and offer materials for interactive learning. Different subjects are covered such as numeracy, science and many other types of arts and crafts and so on. You can find such resources at many online sites where they offer products appropriate for children in the learning stage.

All kids love painting as it is fun and messy and they get to use bright colours to create whatever they imagine. From the age of two to twelve, children can develop their artistic skills. Most children at the age of two start putting crayons on paper and start drawing and scribbling. Young children are very proud when they paint a picture. Apart from this, there are science resources where children can learn more about science in a very interactive manner. Learning science through such sources can also make them learn many other linked subjects.

You can buy pens and markers or crayons of various types. Art projects can be helpful for children in several ways; it promotes the fine motor skills as well as coordination. Children can also make use of drums and other percussion instruments as part of their educational resources. They can learn to make out the difference between fast and slow and try out new instruments. This can be very useful in expanding their imagination.

Some educational resources involve materials that can be used for art projects. You can have an art corner with easels and crayons and children can have fun trying out different sorts of materials. This teaches them to have a greater imagination and gives rise to a lot of creativity. They will also discover to transform ordinary materials, such as egg boxes and plain pieces of cloth into different objects. The child can also develop his motor skills with art projects. They can improve his muscle control when he uses scissors to cut things, manipulates clay and uses crayons for colouring and painting. As the child keeps practicing these skills with such resources, they can get mastery over activities, such as cutting with a knife or fastening the buttons on a shirt.

When the child cultivates the habit of learning through educational resources, they improve their self esteem. They can then keep the finished project on display and feel proud about it. It is the entire process of learning rather than the final product that is most important in the case of such resources.