A

STUDY ON

TEEN SUICIDES IN INDIA

A Project Report Submitted to Hyderabad Business School in partial

fulfilment of the required for the award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

(SESSION: 2019-22) – BBA III TRIMESTER

Submitted by
Group-4
Kavya (221913601048)
Ganesh (221913601021)
Namitha (221913601049)
Ankitha (221913601050)

Under the guidance of

Dr. Ashish Kumar Biswas
Assistant Professor

GITAM
(DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY)

Rudraram, Patancheru (M), Sangareddy Dist.,Telangana

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 ABSTRACT

This study aims at finding out what makes students commit suicide and the effects that arise
out of this practice regarding India. This study also explains the causes of teen
suicides.Suicide is the second leading explanation of death occurring between the ages of
15 years to 24 years, especially in women. There are a variety of measures that will be taken
at individual levels to stop suicide and suicide attempts. The most popular perception is that
failing exams or the inability to cope with academics is the primary reason for student
suicides. These deaths result from poor relationships with parents, excessive expectations,
the feeling of being unwanted, poor understanding of their peer/romantic relationships.
These result in an impulsive decision or a long thought-out deliberate suicide.We observed
that most Indians lack community and support services for the prevention of suicide and
have limited access to care for mental illnesses associated with suicide, particularly access
to the treatment of depression in primary care which has been shown to reduce suicidal
behaviours.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

S.NO CONTENTS PAGE

NO

1 INTRODUCTION 4

2 WARNING SIGNS 6

3 METHODDOLOGY 7

4 SUICIDE IS PREVENTABLE 9

5 ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY DATA 11

6 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 15

7 REFERENCES 16

8 QUESTIONNAIRE 17

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INTRODUCTION

Suicide is among the top three causes of death among youth worldwide. The rates of suicide
have greatly increased among youth, and youth are now the group at highest risk in one-
third of the developed and developing countries. More than one lakh lives are lost every year
due to suicide in India. The emerging phenomenon of “cyber-suicide” in the internet era is
a further cause for concern also because the use of new methods of suicide are associated
with epidemic increases in overall suicide rates. Suicide is nevertheless a private and
personal act and a wide disparity exists in the rates of suicide across different countries. The
near equal suicide rates of young men and women and consistently narrow
male:female ratio denotes that more Indian women die by suicide than their Western
counterparts. Poisoning(34.8%), hanging (31.7%) and self-immolation (8.5%) were the
common methods used to commit suicide.

The teen years are an anxious and unsettling period as boys and girls face the difficulties of
transition into adulthood. It is a period in life that is often confusing, leaving teens feeling
isolated from family or peers. Unfortunately, some may at one point or another perceive
suicide as a permanent answer to problems that are more often than not just temporary. The
self doubts, confusion, and pressures to succeed or conform can come at a high price for
troubled adolescents.
Girls generally attempt suicide more often than boys, but boys are about 4 times more likely
to die from the suicide attempt. This is because the methods that boys choose - often using
firearms or hanging - are more lethal than those chosen by girls, namely drug overdoses or
cutting themselves.

More than one lakh lives are lost every year due to suicide in India. In the last three decades
(from 1975 to 2005), the suicide rate increased by 43%. The rates were approximately the
same in 1975 and 1985; from 1985 to 1995 there was an increase of 35% and from 1995 to
2005, the increase was 5%. However, the male-female ratio has been stable at around 1.4
to 1. There is a wide variation in suicide rates within the country. The southern states of
Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have a suicide rate of >15 while in the
Northern States of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir, the suicide rate
is <3. This variable pattern has been stable for the last 20 years.Majority of the suicides
(37.8%) in India are by those below the age of 30 years. The fact that 71% of suicides in

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India are by persons below the age of 44 years imposes a huge social, emotional and
economic burden on society.

Suicide is a word that many people like to avoid. Talking about suicide makes most people
cringe and makes them very uncomfortable. Suicide affects teenagers and young adults
around the globe each year. Every day, families around the world lose someone close to
them due to suicide. Suicide is an unfortunate occurrence that happens among all age
groups; however, teenagers are the age group most affected. Teenage suicide can be
caused by a series of emotions or something that happened in the teen’s life, or a
combination of both. Teenage suicide can potentially be prevented through the education
and action of teenagers and those who come into contact with them. Teenage suicide must
be better understood and more aggressively addressed before more teenagers end their
lives.

Life as a teenager is not easy and some teenagers cannot handle the pressure. There are
a variety of things that can lead a teenager to commit suicide. Depression is the most
common cause of teenage suicide; however, there are many factors that can cause
depression. Some of these factors can be psychological or physical. Some of these other
factors include, but are not limited to, substance abuse, changes at home, domestic
violence, and financial problems. Difficulty keeping up at school may also contribute to
teenage depression. This difficulty could be academic failure, the pressures of participating
in extracurricular activities, and peer pressure to fit in with the majority.

CAUSES

• Major psychiatric illness - in particular, mood disorders (e.g., depression, bipolar

disorder, schizophrenia)
• Substance abuse (primarily alcohol abuse)
• Family history of suicide
• Long term difficulties with relationships with friends and family
• Losing hope or the will to live
• Significant losses in a person's life, such as the death of a loved one, loss of an
Important relationship, loss of employment or self-esteem
• Unbearable emotional or physical pain

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WARNING SIGNS

Suicidal tendencies don't just appear out of the blue: People usually display a number
of warning signs.When things seem so wrong in their lives that they've simply given up
hope. Because adolescence is such a turbulent time, it may be difficult to distinguish the
signs that lead to suicide from the changing, sometimes uncertain but otherwise normal
behavior of teens.
Behavior changes to watch for are:
• Withdrawal from family and peers
• Loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities
• Difficulty concentrating on schoolwork
• Neglect of personal appearance
• Obvious changes in personality
• Sadness and hopelessness
• Changes in eating patterns, such as sudden weight loss or gain
• Changes in sleep patterns
• General lethargy or lack of energy
• Symptoms of clinical depression
• Violent actions, rebellion, or running away
• Drug and alcohol use
• Symptoms that are often related to emotional state (e.g., headaches, fatigue, stomach
aches)
• Loss of ability to tolerate praise or reward

The main objective of this is to determine the probability of suicide in college students and
the related factors, keeping in mind their age, gender as well as the environment they live in
and to analyse the intervention techniques available as well as to suggest any changes that
are felt necessary in the existing methods or to suggest new methods of intervention in order
to help them. We would like to bring proper awareness among the people about how serious
suicide occurs throughout life.

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METHODDOLOGY

PRIMARY INFORMATION:
A questionnaire was done on the topic teen suicides to know how much people were aware
about teen suicides in India. The questionnaire was done through google forms and all of
the data we collected stayed anonymous as this was a sensitive topic.

SECONDARY INFORMATION:

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF SUICIDE?

The primary symptom of suicide is talking about suicide or doing something to try to harm
oneself. If your child expresses suicidal thoughts or exhibits self-harming behaviours, seek
professional help.There are many warning signs and risk factors for suicide. The list below
is not exhaustive, but is intended to provide insight into what factors might elevate a child or
adolescent’s level of suicide risk. This does not mean that if your child or adolescent has
some of these risk factors, then s/he will automatically take his/her own life. Suicide risk
takes into account many factors and needs to be continuously monitored by a mental health
professional. Remember that many factors combine to lead to a suicidal crisis and may
include some of those that are listed below.

KEY SUICIDE RISK FACTORS:

• A recent or serious loss. This might include the death of a family member, a friend or
a pet. The separation or a divorce of parents, or a breakup with a boyfriend or a
girlfriend, can also be felt as a profound loss, along with a parent losing a job, or the
family losing their home.
• A psychiatric disorder, particularly a mood disorder like depression, or a trauma– and
stress-related disorder.
• Prior suicide attempts increase risk for another suicide attempt.
• Alcohol and other substance use disorders, as well as getting into a lot of trouble,
having disciplinary problems, engaging in a lot of high-risk behaviours.
• Struggling with sexual orientation in an environment that is not respectful or accepting
of that orientation. The issue is not whether a child is gay or lesbian, but whether he
or she is struggling to come out in an unsupportive environment.
• A family history of suicide is something that can be really significant and concerning,
as is a history of domestic violence, child abuse or neglect.

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Lack of social support. A child who doesn’t feel support from significant adults in her life, as well as
her friends, can become so isolated that suicide seems to present the only way out of her problems.

• Bullying. We know that being a victim of bullying is a risk factor, but there’s also some
evidence that kids who are bullies may be at increased risk for suicidal behaviour.
• Access to lethal means, like firearms and pills.
• Stigma associated with asking for help. One of the things we know is that the more
hopeless and helpless people feel, the more likely they are to choose to hurt
themselves or end their life. Similarly, if they feel a lot of guilt or shame, or if they feel
worthless or have low self-esteem.
• Barriers to accessing services: Difficulties in getting much-needed services include
lack of bilingual service providers, unreliable transportation, and the financial cost of
services.
• Cultural and religious beliefs that suicide is a noble way to resolve a personal
dilemma.

SUICIDE IS PREVENTABLE

Suicide is the leading cause of death among school age youth. However, suicide is
preventable. Youth who are contemplating suicide frequently give warning signs of their
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distress. Parents, teachers, and friends are in a key position to pick up on these signs and
get help. Most important is to never take these warning signs lightly or promise to keep
them secret. When all adults and students in the school community are committed to
making suicide prevention a priority-and are empowered to take the correct actions-we can
help youth before they engage in behaviour with irreversible consequences.

1. Talk about mental health and suicide

Research shows parents often aren't aware their adolescent child is thinking of dying, and
that teens deny experiencing suicidal thoughts. More than two-thirds of suicidal adolescents
don't see a mental health provider either, likely because their caregivers don't realize they're
struggling, according to a survey of more than 10,000 adolescents. This complex dynamic
is partly why it feels challenging to detect suicide risk among teens, and it's why suicide
prevention experts urge adults learn the warning signs and start conversations about mental
health with the young people in their lives.
Some worry that raising the subject unprompted will put the idea of suicide into a teen's
mind, but research suggests that isn't the case. In fact, acknowledging and talking about
suicide may actually reduce those feelings.

2. Make a safety plan

When a teen indicates they're suicidal, it's critical to help them make a safety plan. That
document can be a list of warning signs that crisis might be imminent; coping skills to
manage those emotions; people and places that can provide positive distractions; trusted
loved ones and professionals to contact; and ways to make an environment safe from
potential self-harm.

3. Restrict access to means of suicide

It might seem obvious to keep a suicidal teen away from items that could enable self-harm,
but it's not a message young people and their caregivers consistently hear from clinicians
and medical professionals. Nor do they necessarily think, on their own, to comb through
cabinets and remove medication, firearms, sharp objects, or other implements that could
be used in a suicide attempt. Research, however, has shown that reducing lethal means is
associated with decreases in the suicide rate. One small study published in 2016 found
that when parents of suicidal children received counselling on restricting lethal means,
they were later more likely to have locked away medicine and firearms.

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4.Getting treatment
It is very important to seek professional help for the adolescent who may be suicidal.
Guidance counsellors at schools or counsellors at crisis centres can help ensure that a
distressed teen receives the needed assistance.As the vast majority of adolescents who
commit suicide have depressive symptoms, recognition and evaluation of clinical depression
- a treatable medical condition - is essential. Physicians, including psychiatrists, provide both
one-on-one counselling and medical treatment for the biochemical causes of depression.

5.It’s essential that you take suicidal behaviour or previous attempts seriously - and
get assistance quickly
Aside from professional treatment, a suicidal teen needs to know there are people who care,
and who are available to talk to. Good support means listening to what's troubling somebody
without passing judgment on his or her feelings. A person should be reassured that there
are always solutions to problems or ways other than suicide for coping with them. Giving an
adolescent the chance to open up and talk about his or her feelings will help relieve some
of the distress of those intense emotions, and make that person feel less alone.

6.Don’t hesitate to bring up the subject of suicide, and to ask direct questions
Somebody who hasn't considered ending their life isn't going to adopt the idea simply
because the possibility has been raised. On the other hand, for individuals who are thinking
about suicide, your concern will only be reassuring. At the same time, people can take the
opportunity to open up about their distress.

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ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY DATA

• From the responses we got 60% of them said they were aware about teen suicide
happening to someone they knew and the remaining 40% of them said they didn’t
Know .

• For this particular question we have noticed that the majority of people think
stress is the one of main reason for teenagers committing suicide ,then the
academic pressure ,then bullying ,then loneliness and in the last comes family
problems.

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• From the responses we got 50% of them said they would approach their friends
when they think of committing suicide.Whereas they other 44.1% said they would
approach their family.A ver minor amount of people said they would approach their
siblings.

From the responses we got these were the rankings given by the people for the best
way to decrease teenage suicide.

• First Choice:Creating more awareness

• Second Choice: Restrict access to means of suicide.
• Third Choice : Medical Help.
• Forth Choice: Counselling.
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• 57.1% of the people who responded agreed that educating to people about teen
suicides will help in reduce stigma and save lives.Whereas 20% of them said neutral
and a very minor amount of them disagreed to it.

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• As we can see most of them have agreed that teenage suicide can be decreased
with proper measures taken. 32.4% of them have said neutral and a very minor
amount of people disagreed.

To the final question 32.4% responded negative when asked how the victims of
suicide are treated within the society and only 2.9% responded saying positive.

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DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Teenage suicide can be reduced or prevented through education. Parents should be

educated and encouraged to talk to their children about suicide, and make sure their children
understand that their parents are there for them. Teachers, doctors, and clergymen should
not be afraid to talk to children about suicide. Young people should be taught about suicide
and encouraged to act if they believe one of their friends is potentially suicidal. If there were
more ways to get out a message about suicide; such as, television commercials, magazine
articles, or even radio talk shows, then one would have more knowledge on the subject of
suicide. If that happened then more people would be able to recognise if a teenager was
thinking about suicide or was about to commit suicide.

Suicide is an occurrence that is preventable. By recognising the signs and symptoms of

suicide and knowing the available resources, then a person could react immediately to
prevent teenage suicide. If a person has knowledge about a teenager being suicidal, then
that person can help the suicidal teenager and let them know that there are people out in
the world that care about them. The suicidal teenager is not being rejected. It is important
for teenagers to recognise the importance of acting quickly to deter their peers from
committing suicide. A teenager who is thinking about suicide should talk to one of their
friends or family members who have a lot of information about how to deal with suicide, so
the friend or family member can help. The friends or family members of a suicidal teenager
can also get the help of a counsel-or or doctor if things get worse.

A social and public health response to suicide is crucial in India, and should complement a
mental health response. Mental illness is a risk factor for suicide, in India, as it is in
developed countries. However, additional risk factors are prominent in India. These tend to
relate to societal structures and specific stressors. A social and public health approach
acknowledges that suicide is preventable, and promotes a framework in integrated system
of interventions across multiple levels within society including the individual, the family, the
community, and the health care system. A key step in such an approach involves modifying
attitudes toward suicide via educational efforts.

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REFERENCES

https://ncrb.gov.in/sites/default/files/Chapter-2-Suicides_2019.pdf

https://www.apa.org/research/action/suicide

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2019/09/teen-suicide

https://childmind.org/article/teen-suicides-risk-factors/

https://medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/adolescent-suicide

https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/s/suicide-and-
teens/symptoms-and-causes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_India

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 QUESTIONNAIRE

A study on teen suicide in Telangana.

1.Gender:
o Male
o Female

2. Age:
o 18 or less
o 18 - 25
o 25 - 35
o 35+

3. Have you ever heard of teenager suicide happening to someone you knew?
o Yes
o No

4. What do you think is the main reason of teenagers commit suicide?

o Bullying
o Academic pressure
o Stress
o Loneliness
o Family problems

5. If anyone thinks of committing suicide, whom they should approach/ discuss?

o Friends
o Family
o Siblings
o Neighborhood

6. What is the best way to decrease teenage suicide according to you?

o Counselling
o Restrict access to means of suicide
o Medical help
o Create more awareness

7. Do you think educating about teen suicides will help reduce stigma and save lives?
o Agree
o Strongly agree
o Neutral
o Disagree
o Strongly disagree

8. Do you think teenage suicide can be decreased with proper measures taken?
o Agree
o Strongly agree

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 o Neutral
o Disagree
o Strongly disagree

9. How are the victims of suicide treated within the society?

o Positive
o Negative

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