2. • Suicides have serious impact on Public Health and affect
mortality status.
• Stress is a combination of mental, physical and emotional
responses
What creates stress?
Exam pressures, low self esteem, poor self image,
academic failure, rejection by others and lack of
emotional and social support.

3. • Over 16,000 students suicides in the last three years.
(Acc. to Indian Health Ministry)
• Out of every three cases of suicide reported every
15 minutes in India, one is committed by a youth in
the age group of 15 to 29.
• Every 90 minutes a teenager tries to commit suicide
in India. Many of these attempts are half-hearted
cries for attention, help and love. But every six
hours, one succeeds
• Girls may be more likely to make suicidal attempts,
but boys are more likely to make a truly lethal
suicide attempt.

4. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences
Christian Medical College, Vellore
 All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
National Crime Records Bureau

5.  43% examination fear
 40% sibling rivalry
 36% issues at school
 33% warring parents
 20% fear of punishment
 17% death of a loved one
 17% distressed parents
Source:
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic, AIIMS

6.  Faulty education system
 Pushy and unaware parents
 More expectations
 Childhood depression
 Inability to cope and mental weakness
 Biological changes
 Hormonal changes
 Copycat deaths

7. • Anger, depression and excessive worries
• Reluctant to go to school
• Mood swings
• Anxiety and forgetfulness
• Tiredness
• Self hatred
• Sadness and suicidal talk
• Poor concentration
• Profuse sweating
• Lack of interest in studies despite efforts made
• Changes in sleep or eating patterns

8.  Drug or alcohol abuse
 Exposure to violence in the home or the social
environment
 Access to handguns, pesticides etc. at home
 Previous suicide attempts
 Close family member who has committed suicide
 Past psychiatric hospitalization
 Recent losses: death of a relative, a family divorce,
or a breakup with a girlfriend.
 Social isolation

9. • Three steps parents • Three steps teens
can take - can take -
1. Become informed 1. Take your friend’s
(library, local support actions seriously
group, Internet) 2. Encourage your friend
2. Support your child to seek professional
(listen, avoid criticism, help, accompany if
remain connected) necessary
3. Get help (medical or 3. Talk to an adult you
mental health trust. Don’t be alone in
professional) helping your friend.

10. • NIMHANS holds suicide prevention workshops
• CMC, Vellore wants ban on the sale of lethal
pesticides
• AIIMS is working on mental health in Delhi schools.
• Dr Jitender Nagpal and Dr Geetanjali Kumar have
made a 40-minute short film (Smile Your Way
Through Exams)
• CBSE runs a helpline (tele-counselling facility) and
has modified exam system – GRADING
• The Hindustan Times, runs a series called “Cracking
the Boards.”
• Television programmes have psychiatrists and
psychologists take questions and calm fears.
• Radio stations broadcast messages urging students to
remain calm.

11. • International Association For Suicide Prevention
(IASP) in collaboration with WHO announced in
2003 and uses this day to call attention to suicide as a
leading cause of premature and preventable death.
Legal Issues –
• In India attempted suicide is a punishable offence.
Section 309 of Indian Penal Code states that whoever
attempts commit suicide and does any act towards the
commission of such an offence shall be punished with
simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to
one year or with a fine or with both.

12.  Education efforts to alert community
 Participation of Public Health experts along with
psychologist, psychiatrist, school counselor and
social workers
 Protecting and helping students in distress
 Awareness of suicidal behavior
 PTA meetings
 Peer counseling programmes
 Clear plans in place in advance

13.  Media should avoid repeated or sensationalistic
coverage.
 Programmes and workshops for parenting
 The schools should have plans to deal with stress
among children
 National suicide intervention programme.
 Providing support to those bereaved by suicide and
decriminalizing attempted suicide.
 Complementary therapies to combat stress
 Chill-out zones in school to relax

14.  Positive Attitude
 Rest & Recreation
( Sleep , Breaks, Exercise ,fresh air/sun)
 Good nutrition habits
(Proper meals ,Less sugar/caffeine,
8 glasses of water daily , Fruits & vegetables)
 Autonomy & Space
 Support and guidance
 Affirmation & Praise
 Empathic Listener
 Unconditional love & regard

15. o Exams are important as their results influence future
professional career. Every person has own optimal
level of worry and anxiety, which helps him/ her to
achieve the best results. We must learn how to
control stress and extra anxiety for preparing for the
test. If exams cause great worry, and there are some
symptoms of exam stress (insomnia, rapid pulse,
hands trembling and so on) we ought to do
something about it. We must prepare students to
handle stress in a better way.
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