FAMILY PROBLEMS May Lead To SUICIDE
SEPTEMBER 10TH WAS WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY
(Teacher, Attorney-at-law and Researcher into Human Relations & The Family Unit)
Palitha was jilted by his girlfriend and he felt that life was not worth living. He drank poison and his father rushed him to hospital. Gayani was forty two and slashed her wrists with the kitchen knife when she found that her husband was having an extramarital affair. Malathi’s mother scolded her and the girl ran to the railway line nearby and jumped in front of the oncoming train. “The main problem is that many Sri Lankans do not have Coping Skills. They do not know how to face a situation or a problem. They abandon hope and give way to despair” explained a psychologist.
In many families, they come together to have meals and then go to their rooms or watch television. They do not share or exchange ideas and the parents are busy earning money and then spending it. Practically every family member has a smartphone and they spend their time talking to friends. It is only when there is a crisis that the family comes together and often it is too late to build bridges with each other.
Perhaps it is time for each family to hold a weekly conference and discuss issues starting with the marketing and cooking to allotting time for studies. The father can even share his office problems so that he does not have to bear alone the burden of being the breadwinner.
Teenagers can be roped in to share the responsibility of cooking and cleaning as well as devoting time to studies. Most parents favour one child over another. Mothers usually spoil the son and some fathers spoil the daughter.
When a child is given too much attention he or she does not know the limits and ends up thinking he or she can do whatever they want. It is only when they leave home and go out into the wide world outside that they find that they are but small fry and individuals who cannot cope. Husbands and wives often live each in his or her own world especially after the birth of children. Although they live under the same roof and eat at the same table there is a Woman’s World and a Man’s World inside the home.
The wife becomes a mother and has to devote her time and energy to the baby and the husband and father feels left out. Ideally, both parents should share in baby care since caring for an infant is a full-time job. In most Sri Lankan homes, the husband reads the newspaper or watches television or he does overtime or starts drinking with his friends. So most families are dysfunctional even though they are not divorced or broken up. Then a family member feels all alone and attempts suicide since he or she has no Coping Skills. Sadly, they have no-one to talk to, especially to share confidences.
“Sumithrayo” is a non-governmental organisation made up of volunteers who have been trained to listen and befriend those in distress. The volunteers therefore have an understanding of family problems, sexual difficulties, intimate problems and loneliness.
Practically every family member has a smartphone and they spend their time talking to friends. It is only when there is a crisis that the family comes together and often it is too late to build bridges with each other.in many families, they come together to have meals and then go to their rooms or watch television. They do not share or exchange ideas and the parents are busy earning money and then spending it