By Fazal Khaliq
MINGORA: Speakers here on Thursday stressed the need to raise awareness among general public about the increasing trend of suicide and the role they could play to help prevent it.
They were speaking in a seminar titled “working together to prevent suicide” marking the World Mental Health Day, organized by the psychology department in Government Post Graduate Girls College Saidu Sharif. A large number of students, teachers and psychologist attended the seminar where students displayed charts and models of various factors leading to suicide and its prevention. Principal Dr Nargis Ara, Uzma Ilyas, Rozina and Sidra Shahbaz addressed the seminar.
Principal Dr Nargis Ara who was the chief guest at the occasion said that unfortunately due to illiteracy and lack of awareness the ratio of suicide cases was on increase in the society for which an effective and long term programme was needed to control the menace. “This is the collective responsibility of teachers and psychological experts to create awareness about various factors and elements leading to suicide,” she said and added that domestic violence on women was also one of the causes to increase the trend of suicides. She lauded the efforts of the psychology department and said that such awareness raising seminars must be organized regularly.
They said that due to lack of awareness, the ratio of suicide cases was on the rise in the society. They said that an effective and long-term programme was needed to control it.
The speakers said that every year more than 80,000 people committed suicide globally owing to different factors including depression. “This is high time that we join hands and work together to prevent suicide and the most important step is to raise awareness among people about it,” said Uzma Ilyas a psychologist and teacher in the girls’ college, adding that every year about 80,000 people end their lives where the ratio of suicides in Pakistan made 16 percent of the total. She said that majority of teenagers committed suicide.
Psychologist and teacher Rozina Sahar said that it was good that students took keen interest in the event and highlighted the negative impacts of different ills in the society which leading to suicides and other personality disorders.
Students said that sometimes parents’ illogical demands forced students led towards suicides. “Parents demanded of their students to work hard and force them for medical fields but despite their hard works they fail to pass admission tests for medical colleges and due to their parents’ pressure the children commit suicide,” said Ayesha a student of psychology, adding that parents should give care and love instead of putting illogical pressure on their children.
The students, who got top three positions in making models and charts highlighting psychological factors and impacts developing suicidal attempts, were awarded prizes and certificates.
