The news of yet another death by suicide of a bright, young lady student of IIM Shillong is tragic to say the least. One question we all ask when a person dies by suicide is, “Why?” Why did the friend, child, parent , spouse or sibling take their own life? Even when the deceased has left a suicide note absolving anyone of any blame, questions linger. The person may have felt enough despair to want to die, but why did they feel that despair? Most often a person’s suicide takes the people they leave behind in a state of shock and disbelief. It also leaves behind a sense of guilt in the survivors, for failing to see it coming. Those who have survived suicide attempts nearly always say that it not so much that they wanted to die as to stop living. Indeed for some, it is the pain of living which is unbearable in their fragile mental state.
In recent times students of IIMs and IITs seem to be among the most common candidates for suicide. Is it the pressure of studies? Expectations from parents? A love affair gone wrong? The answers would delude the living since those who have left and gone never really explain the circumstances that push them to take that final step. Institutions of higher learning like IIMs and IITs which demand higher than average intelligence even to get admission into them, need to recognize, that students are highly strung in this extremely competitive environment, hence a one- stop crisis centre where counseling is made available is imperative. In fact, these institutions need many counselors to deal with a group that lives on the edge. It would be naïve to believe that super intelligent people are able to sort out their lives. Mental health problems afflict people across intelligences and professions. Yet mental health is not yet given the importance it deserves. Depression is the most common reason that pushes even bright. young people to suicide. Can Governments both state and central give more thought to this modern scourge?