Youth suicide in India is when young Indian people deliberately end their own life. People aged 15 to 24 years have the highest suicide rate in India, which is consistent with international trends in youth suicide.[1] 35% of recorded suicides in India occur in this age group.[1] Risk factors and methods of youth suicide differ from those in other age groups.[1][2]

Statistics

Recorded annual youth suicide rates in India are 80 per 100,000 in females and 34 per 100,000 in males (compared to 10.4 per 100,000 in the general Indian population).[1] These reported figures are estimated to be six crore to eight lakh thousand crore under-estimates of the true incidence.[1]

Surveys of high school students in India estimate prevalence of suicidal ideation at 6–22%, and of suicide attempts at 0.39–8%.[3] A survey conducted in 2009 found that 3.9% of young people have exhibited some suicidal behavior.[4]

Risk factors

Biological risk factors

Young age is itself a risk factor for suicide.[1] Developmental changes during youth lead to psychological changes and greater impulsivity.[5]

The risk of suicide for young female adults is higher than that of males. This may be mediated by social factors in addition to biology.[6]

Psychological factors

Negative affect, such as low self-esteem and hopelessness, tends to increase the risk of suicide in young adults.[7] Strategies such as active problem solving and distraction help to protect against suicide, but maladaptive coping strategies increase the risk.[8]

Impulsivity is a psychological factor seen to increase the risk of suicidality in young adults. It has been seen that impulsivity when combined with aggression tends to cause suicide ideation in male youth.[1]

Socio-environmental factors

See also: Suicide and trauma

Trauma and discrimination are strong risk factors for suicide in youth. Sexual, physical and emotional abuse are all associated with increased risk of suicide,[9] as are experience of bullying[9] and loneliness.[1]

Experience of discrimination increases incidence of suicide compared to the general population.[10] This is reflected in greater rates of suicide among members of certain castes and religious minorities.[10] Discrimination based on gender orientation and sexuality is also a risk factor for suicide in youth in India.[1]

Social and environmental factors contribute to the observed sex difference in prevalence. Abuse and intimate partner violence are associated with suicide.[6] In 2019, 1400 deaths by suicide were reported as related to a dowry.[2] Young women may also experience more economic instability and greater stigma associated with mental ill-health.[6]

Interventions

See also: Suicide Prevention and Intervention in India

Evidence for interventions to prevent youth suicide in India suggests that a combination of individual therapy, family therapy and peer support system is needed.[1] Broader public awareness interventions are advocated, rather than a focus on mental health and counselling.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gupta, Snehil; Basera, Devendra (2021-09-10). "Youth Suicide in India: A Critical Review and Implication for the National Suicide Prevention Policy". OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying. 88 (1): 245–273. doi:10.1177/00302228211045169. ISSN 0030-2228. PMID 34505537. S2CID 237472389.
  2. ^ a b Accidental deaths & suicides in India 2019. New Delhi: National Crime Records Bureau. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  3. ^ Sharma, Rahul; Grover, VijayL; Chaturvedi, Sanjay (2008). "Suicidal behavior amongst adolescent students in south Delhi". Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 50 (1): 30–33. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.39756. ISSN 0019-5545. PMC 2745855. PMID 19771304.
  4. ^ Pillai, A.; Andrews, T.; Patel, V. (2008-08-24). "Violence, psychological distress and the risk of suicidal behaviour in young people in India". International Journal of Epidemiology. 38 (2): 459–469. doi:10.1093/ije/dyn166. ISSN 0300-5771. PMID 18725364.
  5. ^ Bridge, Jeff (October 2020). "2.1 Recent National Trends in Youth Suicide and Suicidal Behavior". Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 59 (10): S268. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2020.07.554. ISSN 0890-8567. S2CID 241542299.
  6. ^ a b c d Vijayakumar, Lakshmi; John, Sujit; Pirkis, Jane; Whiteford, Harvey (May 2005). "Suicide in Developing Countries (2)". Crisis. 26 (3): 112–119. doi:10.1027/0227-5910.26.3.112. ISSN 0227-5910. PMID 16276753.
  7. ^ Czyz, Ewa K.; Berona, Johnny; King, Cheryl A. (2014-09-29). "A Prospective Examination of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicidal Behavior Among Psychiatric Adolescent Inpatients". Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. 45 (2): 243–259. doi:10.1111/sltb.12125. hdl:2027.42/111102. ISSN 0363-0234. PMC 5036446. PMID 25263410.
  8. ^ Pisani, Anthony R.; Wyman, Peter A.; Petrova, Mariya; Schmeelk-Cone, Karen; Goldston, David B.; Xia, Yinglin; Gould, Madelyn S. (2012-12-18). "Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Youth–Adult Relationships, and Suicide Attempts Among High School Students in Underserved Communities". Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 42 (6): 807–820. doi:10.1007/s10964-012-9884-2. ISSN 0047-2891. PMC 3654393. PMID 23666604.
  9. ^ a b Gibb, Brandon E.; Alloy, Lauren B.; Abramson, Lyn Y.; Rose, Donna T.; Whitehouse, Wayne G.; Hogan, Michael E. (December 2001). "Childhood Maltreatment and College Students' Current Suicidal Ideation: A Test of the Hopelessness Theory". Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. 31 (4): 405–415. doi:10.1521/suli.31.4.405.22042. ISSN 0363-0234. PMID 11775716.
  10. ^ a b Nath, Yogini; Paris, Joel; Thombs, Brett; Kirmayer, Laurence (2011-06-01). "Prevalence and social determinants of suicidal behaviours among college youth in India". International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 58 (4): 393–399. doi:10.1177/0020764011401164. ISSN 0020-7640. PMID 21632571. S2CID 25414662.

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