Students Suicide Helpline Launched- B'lore College

Bangalore being noted as the suicide capital , former Bangalore University vice-chancellor MS.Thimmappa has suggested that the parents, relatives and teachers have a role in preventing them. Hence a Suicide Helpline has been launched.

On the Launching occasion of Sampurna, a 24/7 helpline (080-2528 5555) conducted at Sampurna Mantfort College on Monday he said "for those in distress and Parents, relatives and family are the biggest preventers when it comes to suicide. A decade ago, families were a wholesome affair. However, this is not the case today. Teachers too play an important role in ensuring the youngsters in nurtures and is aware of situations that could come up in life and know that he/she can handle them".

How It Works : The helpline will be handled by a professional counselor from 9am to 5pm and by volunteers during the night. The volunteers consist of over 30 students from Montfort College. Thimmappa said the helpline will provide an opportunity and a first hand experience for Montfort College Students, as much a service to community. The distress/suicide helpline is an effort to prevent suicide by addressing it much before suicide tendencies, thoughts or ideations can take form, he added.

He further expressed as "Distress is a crucial stage where intervention can make the person stringer and more capable of handling tough situations. Suicide is never about the freedom of choice, but it is about the feeling that one has only limited options. This is the perception that a counsellors should help the caller change."

The head of the department of Psychology at Sampurna Momtfort College Divia Paul who is also a co-ordinator for the helpline said "The helpline can heal our communities. 36% of techies in Bangalore show signs of depression, 64% of those who ended their lives in the last one year were below the age of 39 and at least half of them were in their teens"