Omotesho Olumuyiwa, a medical practitioner with the University of Ilorin Clinic has advocated for strategic and collective measures to address the rising cases of suicide in Nigeria.
Olumuyiwa, who spoke to BusinessDay in Ilorin on how to identify and assist those with the tendency of committing suicide; recommended that, once a person is suspected of contemplating suicide, professional help should be rendered.
“Person should not be left all alone, family, friends and colleagues should intervene to provide company and possibly,” he advise.
According to Olumuyiwa,, the act of voluntarily taking one’s life is repulsive, disturbing and scary saying that suicide is frowned against by major world religions and culture.
He says: “Suicide is an extreme reaction to problem(s) which had lingered without solution; most people that commit suicide give one hint or the other but people around them could have failed to discern the potential risk of suicide or failed to make appropriate response to prevent it from happening.
“A person complaining that he or she is fed up and tired of life could be contemplating suicide, risky behavior such as reckless driving and sexual indiscretion could be due to the fact that an individual no longer values his/her life and could take it at any time.
“Feelings such as; hopelessness, feelings of guilt, loss of interest, insomnia, and low self-esteem, have been identified as having high tendency towards suicide.”
Speaking further, he says despite the fact that major world religions frown on suicide; there have been incidences of mass suicide amongst adherent of certain movement when their leaders twisted conventional scripture to suit their wild belief.
“Suicide prevention requires strategies that encompass work at the individual, systems and community level. Individual needs encouragement and support of family, close friends and the community. If an individual contemplating suicide is holding a dangerous weapons (gun, explosives and sharp objects), there is need for extreme caution when trying to discourage such an individual.
“Therefore, it is better to invite professionals in the field (Police and other security agencies) to prevent a bloodbath, because such an individual could have homicidal tendency,” said Olumuyiwa
Individuals on treatment for Psychiatric disorders he says they need support of family, friends, colleagues and the community at large. As follow up care with the specialist is crucial to their health, default in clinic appointment could be the genesis of more trouble ahead, including possible suicide.
He equally asserted that bereaved individuals need empathy and support of those around them so that they could gradually overcome the psychological and emotional trauma, noting that, when this is lacking, a tilt to nervous breakdown/depression could increase the chances of suicide.
Olumuyiwa, however, identified unemployment as a major problem in Nigeria, as he stressed the need for government to create jobs for the teaming youths in the country.
He explains that a person could get depressed out of frustration of unemployment and get tilted towards committing suicide.
The medical practitioner says: “Economic hardship is not funny; not being sure of where the next meal is coming from could make a physical energetic person buckle and fall into depression.
“Empowerment of financially-challenged individuals through soft loans, grants, gifts and provision of welfare stipends goes a long way in helping to meet their daily needs, especially feeding.
“Once food is available, the problem of poverty is half-solved; a common adage says;” A hungry man is an angry man.”
Religious institutions, cultural organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), according to him are crucial to the effort of poverty alleviation stating further that “Members of the community need to show empathy and give support to those with mental health issues rather than indulging in stigmatisation and ostracism.
“Stigmatisation, ostracism and discrimination make life more difficult and could push those with mental health challenges into committing suicide.”
He says depression is a major precipitator of suicide; it is a condition which manifests despair, sadness, insomnia, there could be withdrawal from social activities, and lack of interest in normal activities.
Olumuyiwa noted that pre-existing mental condition increases the risk of suicide (major depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, and anxiety disorders like bulimia and anorexia nervosa), especially when such individuals undergo major emotional trauma such as losing a loved one, loss of job, break up of marriage/relationship and other incidents.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
