An awareness chariot was flagged off in Ranchi as a week-long suicide prevention awareness campaign that will continue till September 16 across the district began on Thursday. The campaign, organised as part of World Suicide Prevention Day initiatives, will include awareness programmes in schools and colleges promoting mental health awareness and encouraging people to seek timely support during emotional distress. The theme of this year is ‘Changing the Narrative on Suicide’.
Shashi Prakash Jha, mission director, National Health Mission (NHM), administered an oath to health workers and employees, urging them to remain alert towards suicide prevention and extend support to people in need.
Jha said, “The campaign aims to increase awareness about suicide prevention, encourage open conversations on mental health and motivate people experiencing psychological distress to seek help at the right time. The campaign seeks to promote positive changes in conversations and perceptions surrounding suicide and create a supportive environment for mental health and suicide prevention.”
Following the programme, health workers and students took out an awareness rally with messages like ‘Silence needs to be turned into conversation and hopelessness into hope’.
Jha said people often expected life to unfold according to their expectations and there was a need to develop a more positive approach towards situations that did not go as planned. Excessive anger, anxiety and dissatisfaction could increase mental stress, he said, stressing the importance of managing these emotions for a healthy and balanced life.
Experts said anyone facing mental stress or psychological difficulties should not deal with them alone. Sharing problems with family members, friends or doctors at the right time could help reduce the risk of suicide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 720,000 people die by suicide globally every year, with suicide among the leading causes of death among people aged 15 to 29 years.
People seeking mental health support can contact the Tele-MANAS helpline on 14416.
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