ILOILO – The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has recorded 12 cases of suicide since January of this year.
Ten of the suicide victims were male, IPPO records further showed.
Family problems or severe illness mostly drove them to end their lives, according to Police Colonel Paul Kenneth Lucas, police provincial director, citing the statements of these victims’ families.
That most of the victims were male “showed na mas mahina ang mga lalaki compared sa mga babae in facing problems,” said Lucas.
“Hindi sila masyado nagsi-share ng problema. Kinikimkim lang nila until hindi nila makaya. Ang mga babae kasi more talkative,” he theorized.
On the other hand, the younger suicide victims were driven to kill themselves by their love problems, Lucas said.
Of the 12 suicide victims, five aged between 30 to 39 years old.
Lucas hoped there won’t be more suicide cases in the province. He urged those with problems to seek spiritual advice and strengthen their faith in God.
In 2019 the IPPO recorded 78 suicide cases. Most of the victims were between 10 to 19 years old. In 2018, it recorded 65 cases.
Alarming. This was how Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Matt Palabrica described the rising number of suicide cases in the province involving youngsters.
The most common methods of suicide resorted to were hanging, chemical poisoning, shooting with a gun, and even wilful drowning, he added.
Palabrica appealed for collective action from the provincial government, school and health authorities, and the police, among others.
But this statistics from the police is not enough, said Palabrica.
Detailed information about the suicides, most especially among the youth, is needed, he said, to get a clearer picture so that appropriate interventions “targeted at the youth” could be introduced “like counseling, youth activities that include sports, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.”
“First there should be data…then, ano ang causes ngaa ga-amo sini mga kabataan subong. Lantawon ang pangabuhi sining mga kabataan, related ayhan ini sa kapigaduhon, sa impluwensya sang droga, sang influence sang peers, even sang social media,” said Palabrica, chairperson of the Provincial Board’s Committee on Accounts and General Services and Human Resources.
He appealed for “purposeful action to prevent more suicides, especially among the youth” and urged the provincial government to be “in the forefront of this effort.”
“We have to do this now and not later. The life saved through our intervention may be that of a loved one,” said Palabrica.
WHO: IT’S A HEALTH PROBLEM
The World Heal Organization (WHO) considers suicide “a serious public health problem” but preventable with timely, evidence-based interventions.
Every year close to 800,000 people take their own lives and there are many more people who attempt suicide, it said.
Suicide was the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year-olds globally in 2016, according to WHO.
While the link between suicide and mental disorders (in particular, depression and alcohol use disorders) is well established in high-income countries, WHO said many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship break-up or chronic pain and illness.
In addition, experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse, or loss and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behavior, according to WHO.
Suicide rates are also high amongst vulnerable groups who experience discrimination, such as refugees and migrants; indigenous peoples; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex (LGBTI) persons; and prisoners.
By far the strongest risk factor for suicide is a previous suicide attempt, according to WHO.
It also lamented the stigma particularly surrounding mental disorders and suicide. It means, it said, that many people thinking of taking their own lives or who have attempted suicide are not seeking help and are therefore not getting the help they need.
LACK OF AWARENESS
“The prevention of suicide has not been adequately addressed due to a lack of awareness of suicide as a major public health problem and the taboo in many societies to openly discuss it,” according to WHO.
There are a number of measures that can be taken at population, sub-population and individual levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts. WHO listed the following:
* reducing access to the means of suicide (e.g. pesticides, firearms, certain medications)
* reporting by media in a responsible way
* school-based interventions
* introducing alcohol policies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol
* early identification, treatment and care of people with mental and substance use disorders, chronic pain and acute emotional distress
* training of non-specialized health workers in the assessment and management of suicidal behaviour
* follow-up care for people who attempted suicide and provision of community support
“Suicide is a complex issue and therefore suicide prevention efforts require coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors of society, including the health sector and other sectors such as education, labor, agriculture, business, justice, law, defense, politics, and the media. These efforts must be comprehensive and integrated as no single approach alone can make an impact on an issue as complex as suicide,” according to WHO./PN
