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Vashi2Panvel.com: Navi Mumbai: Aug 20: The suicide of a 20-year-old S.Y.BCom student of Airoli on August 17, brings into sharp focus the need for special counselling for young people. “Suicidal thoughts are momentary, it could happen to anyone of us”, says Johnson Thomas, the director of AASRA. But sometimes this suicidal thought could lead to the act itself…unless the distressed person is able to reach out and connect with someone who is able to talk him or her out of her depression.


The 20-year-old Vaishu Sagarnath who committed suicide on August 17, by hanging herself from a duppatta, was an SYBCom student from Mafatlal Mehta College and an SSC topper in 2001. Investigating officer from Airoli police station Manohar Chauhan says it was probably because of the mental torture inflicting upon her by her father and stepmother. Vaishu’s mother had also committed suicide five years ago.

The suicidal tendency can occur due to many reasons. One of the reasons could be unable to cope with the problem. “All of us have to go through various problems in life but some are capable of coping with the situation while some others don’t, so that’s the reason why they are no more and we are still alive”, says Thomas.

NGOs like AASRA help one cope with the problems and enable you to be a stronger person. “But that doesn’t mean that the person cannot feel the same way again. Problems can arise again,” says Mr. Jonson. AASRA has a helpline number where you can call and talk to one of their volunteers who counsel and talk you out of your depression. Organisations like AASRA also conduct regular awareness camps and seminars in colleges and institutions.

Depression is extremely common, cutting across all age barriers. The reasons could be many. Unhappiness over a relationship, feeling of hopelessness in a family or office situation, immense stress…A suicide in the family earlier could also trigger off a suicide.

Says Thomas, “WHO and the other researches have proved that if there is any past history of a suicide in the family then there are chances of this repeating in the family.”

One of the most important factors that would reduce suicidal tendencies is by opening up and talking about the problems to someone. By doing this itself half the tension reduces. AASRA also works in the similar way. “We are non critical and non judgemental and we help them to confide in us so that solves most of their problems”, says Thomas

So communication is one of the important factors that would help a person to overcome the problem. Parvati Ragunathan, a RAIT final year Engineer student, “Talking to close ones or going for a counselling section would help a depressed person tremendously. If I come across a friend who is having such problems then would try to talk to her but if that doesn’t help then talk to her family members.”

“Most of the time a suicide is contemplated because one is afraid to face life ahead. A friend would be able to connect and show that this need not be so”, says Ravish Iyer from SIES college, Sion.

If you feel that your friend or relative is behaving differently, is depressed then take the initiative and talk to him or her.

Another student from Pillai collge, Alok Torgal says, “One of the underlying reasons would be lack of self confidence and the basic factor that one would commit suicide is due to failure so one should have his self confidence motivated. If my friend was going through such a problem I would try to boost his self confidence and reduce the communication gap that has brought him to this condition.”

Life is constantly throwing us googlies. Though we try our level best to handle every situation, sometimes the circumstances can be so overwhelming that the depression threatens to overwhelm us. We need to understand that no situation can be so bad that it can prompt us to contemplate suicide. We need to seek help. From friends, family or a professional body like AASRA who is trained to make us see life in a more positive manner.

Priya Jayakumar