SNEHA launches support group for people who have lost someone to suicide
SNEHA, a Chennai-based suicide prevention organisation, has launched a support group for persons who have lost someone to suicide.
Through SNEHA-SAS (Survivor After Suicide), the organisation is aiming at creating a safe space for ‘survivors after suicide’ to share their grief, and to make them feel that they are not alone in their grief.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, there were 1,70,924 suicides reported in India in 2022, Lakshmi Vijayakumar, founder of SNEHA, said.
“But suicides are underreported, and for every suicide, there are 20 suicide attempts, and every suicide attempt aects at least six persons around [the one who attempts it],” she pointed out.
Suicides are under-reported, and for every suicide, there are 20 suicide attempts
Founder of SNEHA
Enormity of the problem
“One in 57 people are affected by suicides. This is the enormity of the problem,” she said, addressing the media on Thursday.
When a person loses someone to suicide, there are physical and emotional symptoms and social and behavioural issues. The emotions could be anger, anxiety, crying spells, fatigue, guilt, loneliness and trouble sleeping, and they could become overly sensitive and withdrawn, and have issues such as forgetfulness, she said.
“There are always two questions in a survivor — why and if only — and this haunts them,” she said.
With stigma still being an issue, survivors ¢nd it dif¢cult to talk to anyone, and feel judged and guilty, she added.
“Survivors of suicide are at a high risk of suicide. There is guilt and shame, and an inability to reach out to other people. So, we have come up with SNEHA-SAS, oered both online and in-person. We will be facilitators, and will hold group sessions once every month, where they can learn from each other and become stronger,” Dr. Lakshmi Vijayakumar said.
During the group sessions, participants can listen, talk, share their emotions, loss and grief, and also share what helped them cope with their loss. SNEHA also plans to have monthly online meetings for participants who may not be able to attend the sessions in person.
SNEHA president Nalli Kuppuswamy and director M.C. Anand also spoke on the occasion.
For details, call SNEHASAS at 94451 20050; email sas@snehaindia.org; or visit the website www.sas.snehaindia.org.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’ suicide prevention centre at 044-24640050).