Nepal Police recently released some data which show that the registered numbers of suicide cases have gone up by 33 per cent in the past few years in the country.
According to the police, as many as 5,754 cases of suicides were registered with Nepal police in fiscal year 2018/2019. Compared to the data of 2014/2015, the number has increased by 1,422 registered suicide cases (33 per cent). As many as 4,332 suicide cases were registered in 2014/2015 whereas the number rose to 4,680 in 2015/2016.
The number of suicide cases stood at 5,124 in fiscal year 2016/2017 whereas as many as 5,317 suicide cases were registered in 2017/2018.
The number could go higher as suicides in groups are registered as a single suicide case, informed Nepal Police.
For instance, as many as 5,785 people had committed suicide in 2018/2019 but police recorded only 5,754 cases because suicides in groups are counted as a single case. The data also revealed that at least 31 people committed suicide in group of two or more in 2018/19.
As many as 1,861 people have committed suicide since July 17 till November 16 of the current fiscal year.
Disturbed mental health is one of the main causes of suicide. Some warning signs of suicide include preoccupation with death (recurring themes of death or self-destruction in artwork or written assignments), intense sadness and/or hopelessness, not caring about activities that used to matter, withdrawal from social activities, and giving away personal possessions, among others.
If you, or someone you know, is in a mental health crisis, you can access a hotline to speak with trained psychosocial support professionals—TUTH Suicide Hotline: 9840021600; Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation-Nepal Crisis Hotline: 1660 0102005; Mental Health Helpline Nepal: 1660 0133666.
