Suicide and Mental Health

It seemed to be another normal Sunday afternoon. Well, normal by Covid standards at least. I was sitting at home, laptop open in front of me, phone in my hand. When suddenly one of my Whatsapp groups chimed- Sushant Singh Rajput committed suicide.

Honestly, I was just blank for a second, trying to fathom whose suicide had hit the headlines. It just did not cross my mind that this actor, who had given us so many wonderful movies- including one last year which spoke about how important it is to fight your way out of a tough situation- and who was as old as me, could have taken such an extreme step.

Growing up, I remember my parents always talking to us about how precious our lives are, how no situation can be so tough that it should lead to us ever taking such an extreme step. I remember using it as a mantra for myself, especially when times seemed tough, and how I would always remind myself that there is always something good to look forward to.

I know I speak from a position of great privilege. Nothing has happened in my life which I have perceived as insurmountable. I have been lucky to have been able to maintain a positive outlook no matter what. I have been lucky to have never suffered from depression...

I have known people who have had it tough. I have known people who have been diagnosed as depressive. And I have also known that as a society our first reaction is almost always- judgmental. So much so, that we would rather not have to deal with such a situation. So much so that we tend to brush this under the carpet. So much so that even a basic need for a therapy session is seen with raised eyebrows instead of much needed support..

WHO statistics say that 800,000/- people die by suicide each year... a person takes their life every 40 seconds. If that doesn't convince us of the gravity of the situation, if that doesn't tell us how important an aspect mental health is, then I don't know what will.

It is high time that we changed our mindset. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and any issues pertaining to it needs to be taken as a medical issue just as any physical ailment. Just like we need medicines for dengue or even a basic fever, we may need medical intervention for any mental health issue- sometimes it may be a simple need for counselling, sometimes we may need medicines. Open communication is necessary, and we should not have to be scared to seek the help we need. 

And please, this particular case, while it has made news because it involves a celebrity, we need to remember that it is a time of personal grief for the family. The world may never know what demons Sushant Singh Rajput was fighting, and his family may never get that closure... But they deserve to grieve in private, and that dignity they must have.