admin
The Herald, April 26, 1983
PEOPLE need to know more about suicide to be aware of the problem and understand it, the organiser of a recent Harare seminar on suicide, Mrs Val Thorpe, said on Friday.
“Suicide is a very sensitive area because there may be a lot of anger and guilt as well as grief in a family, which has had a suicide, and until these emotions are understood, people cannot work through a period of mourning.
“Families very often feel isolated because of these strong emotions, and they tend to think other people are critical of them because of the suicide. However, the family will probably find other people are actually very sympathetic,” said Mrs Thorpe.
During 1981, some 467 people committed suicide and society had a duty to stop suicide figures getting higher and find out there was a problem, she said.
About 150 people including Samaritans, nurses and members of the public attended the seminar, which was run by the Island Hospice, which offers a service to the terminally ill and to bereaved families.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
The month of May is dedicated to mental health awareness. A number of events are lined up to make people aware of this increasingly disturbing phenomenon, which knows no colour, creed, gender or social status.
For the past two years, the need for mental health wellness has been aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to the sudden deaths of loved ones; on-and-off lockdowns; strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols; school closures and job losses; and poverty.
Too much of anything is not good and most people now display tendencies of Covid-19 fatigue.
Suicide is bad, since there are several methods of resolving problems.
People with suicidal tendencies need to be reassured that life is worth living through counselling services and other psycho-social support systems.
People, when confronted by unpleasant experiences, should make a conscious effort to seek guidance and counselling from people whom they trust and can confide in.
Depression, stress and fatigue are among the chief causes of suicide. Those suffering from any of these conditions should seek medical attention at the earliest possible time.
Online Reporter