Is India’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy Effective?

India's National Suicide Prevention Strategy
Spread the love

  • India’s Mental Health Care Act (MHCA) decriminalizes suicide, mandating the protection of individuals’ rights who attempt suicide.
  • The act also provides for the establishment of a National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) to reduce suicide mortality by 10% by 2030.

Poor Mental Health And Suicide In India

Recent research shows that diagnosed, untreated, and mistreated mental disorders account for 88% of suicides in India. In the last two decades, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, the suicide rate has increased from 7.9% to 10.3%.

This unfortunate increase has been attributed to a number of factors, namely, poor mental health, financial insecurity, interpersonal issues, etc.

It is also found that higher incidences of suicide are associated with adolescents, young adults, and the elderly. Moreover, suicide ideation and execution are more prevalent in Indian women than men.

Suicide And India’s Mental Health Care Act

India’s Mental Health Care Act (MHCA) of 2017 is the first of its kind to decriminalize suicide, mandating the protection of the rights of individuals who attempt suicide and ensuring that they are not subjected to any kind of discrimination.

Instead of being tried and punished for the attempt, suicidal individuals are offered mental health care services and opportunities for rehabilitation by government bodies. The act also recognizes suicide prevention as an essential part of mental health care.

India’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS)

The MHCA provides for the establishment of a National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) with the goal of reducing suicide mortality in the country by 10% by 2030. It seeks a multi-sectoral approach to address the issue of suicide and provide assistance to those at risk. Under it, the suicide prevention strategy includes the:

  • Development of a National Mental Health Policy
  • Strengthening mental health services and improving access to care
  • Implementation of community-based mental health programs
  • Establishment of crisis intervention centers and helplines
  • Training of healthcare professionals and non-specialists in suicide prevention
  • Promotion of public awareness campaigns on mental health and suicide prevention
  • Collaboration with other sectors, such as education, social welfare, and law enforcement, to address the underlying causes of suicide
  • Research and surveillance of suicide trends and risk factors to inform prevention efforts

Challenges In Implementing The NSPS

Some of the challenges faced by India’s mental health legislation, particularly the NSPS, include:

  • Stigma and a lack of awareness about mental health and suicide prevention
  • Shortage of mental health professionals and resources, especially in rural areas
  • Limited availability and access to crisis intervention services and helplines
  • Inadequate training of healthcare professionals and non-specialists in suicide prevention
  • Insufficient funding for mental health services and suicide prevention programs
  • Unchecked prevalence of psychosocial environments that contribute to suicide risks, such as poverty, unemployment, and gender inequality
  • Lack of research and reliable data on suicide deaths, which makes it difficult to formulate prevention efforts

Towards Suicide Prevention And Better Mental Health Care

To improve the outcomes of mental health in India’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy, the budget allocation towards mental health services should be increased, along with improving access to mental health professionals, crisis intervention services, and helplines.

Other crucial factors include reducing stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide, providing ongoing training and support to healthcare professionals, and addressing social and economic determinants of suicide.

Lastly, strengthening research and surveillance of suicide trends and risk factors would help inform prevention efforts and enhance mental health care in the country.

Know More About –

  1. Self Harm
  2. Learned Helplessness
  3. Guilt
  1. “I Wish I Didn’t Wake Up Tomorrow” – What Is Passive Suicidal Ideation And How To Cope
  2. If You’re Having Suicidal Thoughts, Please Read This
  3. How To Help A Person Who Is Feeling Suicidal

Spread the love
  • Social Curiosity Fuels Gossip, Study Finds

    German researchers showed how social curiosity fuels gossip.

  • Herschel Walker’s Mental Health Battle With Dissociative Identity Disorder

    How American footballer Herschel Walker battled DID and wrote a…

  • What Natalia Dyer’s “Anorexia” Can Teach Us About Eating Disorders And Body Shaming

    Experts opine how “body speculations” betray the truth about eating…

  • Selma Blair’s Memoir Highlights How Multiple Sclerosis Impacts Our Physical And Mental Health

    How Hollywood actress Selma Blair reignited the conversation around multiple…

  • Why Do Older People Dream In Black And White?

    A team of American researchers explored why our dreams have…

  • Men And Women Have Different Friendship Preferences, Study Finds

    American researchers explored the differences between male and female friendships.

  • Loneliness And Depression Are Linked In Older Adults, Study Finds

    Researchers at Massey University, New Zealand, study the link between…

  • How Does Mental Health Therapy With A Desi Touch Works In India?

    Mental health experts opine that decolonized and ‘Indianized’ therapy approaches…

  • Copying Others In Social Situations Makes You A Risk Taker: Study

    Researchers at the University of Konstanz (Germany) explored the link…

  • Music And Empathy Can Enhance Our Social Cognition, Study Finds

    A team of international researchers at Southern Methodist University explored…

  • Is There Any Link Between Changes In Climate And Sleep Loss?

    Recent research explores the link between climate change and sleeps…

  • Can Video Games Improve Intelligence In Children?

    Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, explored how video games enhanced…

  • People Choose Healthier Food For Fear Of Judgment, Study Finds

    Researchers studied how people choose healthier food options to impress…

  • Having A Large Family Size Impacts Cognition In Old Age: Study

    Researchers explored the link between high fertility, family size, and…

  • Did You Know Intense Sports Training Affects Our Mood?

    Researchers at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain, studied how…

  • Mental Health And Dating: Is There A Link?

    Experts opine the links between dating apps, dating lives, and…

  • Is It True That Sleep Helps To Process Emotions?

    Researchers explored how sleep helps to process emotions and memories.

  • Study Finds The Difference Between Psychopaths and Non-Psychopaths

    Researchers studied the underlying neurodevelopmental mechanisms in psychopathy.

  • Eye Blinks Reveal If People Are Interacting Meaningfully, Study Finds

    Dutch researchers explored how eye blinks are important communicative signals…

  • Raising Mental Health Awareness At School – Need Of The Hour

    Experts recommend policies and programs that foster mental health awareness…

  • People With Borderline Personality Traits Lack Empathy, Study Finds

    Researchers at the University of Georgia explored the link between…

  • Religion Is Linked To Poor Sleep, Study Finds

    A team of researchers studied the link between religion and…

  • Research Pinpoints The Link Between Migraine Headaches And Motion Sickness

    Researchers at the American Academy of Neurology provide insight into…

  • Gene Editing Can Treat Anxiety And Alcoholism, Study Finds

    Researchers at the University of Illinois explored how gene editing…

  • How Men Face Abuse Often And Impact on Their Mental Health

    How Men Face Abuse Often And Impact on Their Mental Health

    Research reveals how men’s mental health is often overlooked, even…

  • Research Reveals How The Brain Says “Oops!”

    Researchers uncovered the neural signals and pathways associated with performance…

  • How Does Parental Domestic Violence Affect Us In The Long Run?

    Research shows that witnessing domestic violence in childhood makes people…