(Riya Saha, Intern Journalist ) Ranchi: Jharkhand is facing the double whammy of mental depression and coronavirus. In fact, depression is proving to be more precarious than the virus. According to the latest data, around five (5) persons committed suicide in the state every day since March 25, when the nationwide lockdown came into effect.
The data reveals that 449 people committed suicide since march. In the state capital, 55 people succumbed to suicide between April 1 and June 15. The figure is harrowing as well as alarming.
Psychiatrists say economic downturn, fear of losing jobs, unemployment, and other factors pushed people to depression.
“People were locked inside homes and that led to an increase in disputes among family members. Incidents of domestic violence also witnessed a spurt. Counseling within the families could have saved many lives,” said psychiatrist Ajay Kumar.
Dr. Nishant Goyal, associate professor at CIP, Ranchi’s renowned mental health Institution, said cases of copycat suicide have also been observed, particularly after actor Sushant Singh Rajput hanged himself in Mumbai earlier this month.
The Ranchi district administration had launched a helpline for mental illness in the first week of April while the helplines of CIP and RINPAS are working through NGOs like Umang, Kiran, Mission Blue Foundation, and Seva Sankalp among others.
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