7,990 business people committed suicide in 2018; up 2.7 per cent: NCRB data

Karnataka leads the list with highest number of such suicides followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

If an icon like Amitabh Bachchan can seek help, as he did when he asked Yash Chopra for a role during a financially difficult time, others need not feel ashamed to do so; say psychiatrists in Mumbai.

They may have good reason to offer this advice. Lack of awareness about mental health issues and social stigma have contributed to an increase in the number of business people dying by suicide in 2018, breaking a trend of declining numbers over the last two years. A total of 7,990 business people died this way in 2018, up 2.7 per cent from 7,778 the previous year, show government statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). This is based on data which looked at the profession of the people who committed suicide.

The largest number of such cases were in Karnataka (1,113). This is followed by Maharashtra (969) and Tamil Nadu (931). These states are also among the highest-ranked in terms of gross state domestic product, a measure of economic output.

“Now suddenly people feel that it’s become very difficult…even if you are working hard the whole day; it is not necessary that you may make money,” said psychiatrist and author Anjali Chhabria. "People are ashamed and are often made to feel helpless by factors that may not be in their hands," she said.

Separately NCRB data also shows causes of suicide. Over 4,970 individuals died by suicide because of bankruptcy or indebtedness in 2018. They accounted for 3.7 per cent of the total number of suicide deaths during the year.

Interestingly, this is slightly lower than the 5,151 such suicides seen in the previous year, which accounted for 4 per cent of the total suicides in 2017.

Mumbai-based psychiatrist Harish Shetty said that the number could be understated. Bankruptcy is not disclosed in a lot of instances and such cases are often attributed more vaguely to family issues. This is also because of the perceived shame associated with failure in business.

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Prevention of suicides: Can chatbots, other conversational agents help?

Suicide rates in young men have increased by 34%, and in young women by 76%.

Australia’s first suicide prevention chatbot for the family and friends of those in crisis was launched last week by Lifeline, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to crisis support and suicide prevention.

The chatbot, developed in partnership with Twitter, is called #BeALifeline Direct Message (DM) Chatbot. It seeks to help the family and friends of those at risk to quickly and easily start a conversation about suicide.

Users must have a Twitter account to converse with the chatbot, which directs people to Lifeline resources, including contact details for telephone or online support, advice and information.

This is a big shift in the way Lifeline provides support to young people in need. It raises the question of what role, if any, chatbots and other conversational agents should play in suicide prevention.

Suicide among young people is increasing

Some 3,128 Australians lost their lives to suicide in 2017. That’s an increase of 9% from 2016. Young people aged between 15 and 24 years accounted for 13% of these deaths.

The suicide rate among young people has increased at an alarming rate over the past ten years. Suicide rates in young men have increased by 34%, and in young women by 76%.

Given these numbers, there is clearly a need for innovative and youth-friendly approaches to suicide prevention that can meet the needs of those at risk – whether they are looking for information or direct support.

The ubiquitous presence of social media in young people’s lives offers an unprecedented opportunity to potentially revolutionise suicide prevention. And as a sector, we have begun to seize these opportunities.

Meeting young people where they are

Globally, young people are avid users of social media and digital technologies. They use these platforms for a range of purposes – including for communicating about suicide.

Dr Dan Reidenberg, of US-based nonprofit Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE), believes social media chatbots can be used in several ways to aid suicide prevention – including to help identify people at risk early on, to provide people with options for seeking help, and potentially even to provide direct support.

Others we have spoken to in the digital media sector agree, stating that bots are definitely a part of the future – especially for people seeking help, or for those who want to help others, but who don’t necessarily have the skills or confidence to do so.... Read More

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