NOIDA: The latest case of the wife of an IRS officer ending her life over alleged dowry demands and mental torture and the spate of suicides being witnessed over the past one year in Gautam Budh Nagar district reflect alarming trends about mental health.

As per police data, as many as 380 people have died of suicide over the past one year — throughout 2020 — and of them, around one-third (126) were women while 24 were children and teenagers (aged below 18). An analysis by TOI shows that suicides increased during the lockdown, and job loss, personal disputes, strained or broken relationships, poor health and depression are some of the major causes.

According to the data, as many as 26 cases of suicide were reported in January, 17 in February and 22 in March 2020. The number started showing a gradual uptick, with as many as 27 suicide cases being reported in April and 31 in May. The suicides continued to rise from the beginning of the Unlock too — as many as 35 suicides were reported in June, 42 in July, 33 in August and 47 in September.

October saw the highest number of suicides at 53, and in November and December, the figures were 35 and 11, respectively.
The uncertainty and the financial burden brought forth by the pandemic have resulted in a huge socio-economic crisis before most middle-class families, say psychologists, “but the expectations from women have increased even more”.

Neharshi Srivastava, a psychologist with the Rehabilitation Council of India, told TOI, “The pandemic has seen a rise in domestic violence, sexual and mental abuse of the women. With aggression at high and the families together for hours, it has resulted in an increase in expectations from women who many a time become the target of the aggression from the males of the families.”

“Out of the 100-odd calls that I have received throughout the pandemic, only four-five pertained to men. Children too have become prone to deteriorating mental health because of the uncertainty and restriction from the ‘normal life’,” she said.

While the Union social justice and empowerment ministry has set up a toll-free helpline number (1800-599-0019), the Noida police officers have said that a specialised helpline is also being planned.

“We want it to be a community-led initiative and would like to rope in RWAs and NGOS for the same,” DCP (women’s safety) Vrinda Shukla said.

Recently, a software engineer died after jumping from the 12th floor of the Ajnara Heritage society in Sector 74. On March 6, a 17-year-old class XI student had died of suicide after jumping from the 15th floor of a tower in a society in Sector 78. In May last year, a 13-year-old child had died of suicide and a 15-year-old boy had hanged self in Dadri area on June 29.

If You Like This Story, Support NYOOOZ

NYOOOZ SUPPORTER

₹ 10 - ₹ 1000

NYOOOZ FRIEND

₹ 2000 - ₹ 5000

Your support to NYOOOZ will help us to continue create and publish news for and from smaller cities, which also need equal voice as much as citizens living in bigger cities have through mainstream media organizations.