The highest number of suicides in the State is found in the 36-40 age group, a study by the Kerala State Youth Commission has found.
The commission study ‘Fostering youth mental health: a study on suicides’ is aimed at improving mental health of the youth against the backdrop of increasing suicides among them.
An innovative initiative of the commission, it looks into the causes and consequences of youth suicide in the State and makes suggestions to address the issue.
Highest number
The study that looked into suicides in the 18-45 age group in the past five years found that the percentage of suicides in the 36-40 age group was 27.9. The highest number of suicides among both men and women was also in this age group.
The percentage was 22.6 in the 31-35 age group, 19.1% in the 26-30 age group, and 18.9% in the 21-25 age group. The lowest percentage was in the 18-20 age group with 9.1.
The study observed that individuals in the 36-40 age group have significant life stressors such as career pressures, financial responsibilities, and relationship issues. Some people in this age group may also have “undiagnosed or untreated” mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse disorders.
The study noted a consistent trend of higher number of suicides among males as compared to females across all age categories. While a majority of the male victims belonged to the 31-35 age group, in the case of females it was the 18-20 age group.
Most of the victims fell in the low education categories – 37.4% in up to SSLC category and 25% in Plus Two category. The rate of suicide among employed youth (63.9%) was much higher than that among the unemployed (16.2%). Jobs with high levels of stress, pressure, and burnout may contribute to mental health challenges, potentially increasing the risk of suicide, the study said.
It found a strong relationship between income of a person and suicide. The majority of those who committed suicide had either low income or no income at all.
Unlike suicides in the country where it was high among married individuals, in Kerala it was more among unmarried youth.
Hanging (76.6%) was adopted as a method of suicide by an overwhelming majority, its prevalence stemming from accessibility and lethality.
A significant percentage of individuals who committed suicide had a history of suicide among their relatives. Even those with strong family ties and friendships committed suicide. This pointed to the the fact that youth suicides were more associated with other factors that needed to be studied, it said.
A substantial percentage of suicides were associated with toxic relationships (31.3%), followed by relationship break-ups, blackmail, rejection and other reasons.
Fifth position
The study pointed out that according to the National Crime Records Bureau, Kerala was in fifth position in terms of suicide rate after Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sikkim, Puducherry, and Telangana.
The research report was submitted by Kerala State Youth Commission chairperson M. Shajar to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday. Youth Affairs Secretary Pranabjyoti Nath and commission member V.A. Vineesh were present.
Mr. Shajar said the commission would implement follow-up activities on the basis of the study report. Seminars would be held in all universities and districts to prevent youth suicides. A national youth seminar on ‘Youth empowerment, mental resilience, happiness: challenges and possibilities’ would be organised in the State capital on January 31 and February 1.