SUICIDES ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON IN NIGERIA BUT NOBODY IS PAYING ATTENTION

I believe that these days, a lot more Nigerians are taking their lives, and unfortunately, this issue is not getting enough attention.  On one hand,  the idea of taking one's life seems like a convenient way to put an end to suffering. Furthermore,  it seems that vulnerable people are being triggered to kill themselves due to the popularity of suicide news these days. On the other hand, we are not giving it enough attention because we are all too busy dealing with the social and economic difficulties of living in Nigeria. 

I think that for anybody going through some life difficulty or a mental health problem, suicide seems like a convenient way to end their suffering whatever that suffering is; economic hardship, marital problems, deep personal regrets, financial crises, loneliness, or even shame. For people dealing with depression, thoughts of suicide occur frequently.

I also believe that the media coverage of suicide stories is contributing to the problem. I came across this idea in Malcolm Gladwell's book The Tipping Point.  According to Gladwell's findings, "stories about young people committing suicide resulted in more traffic fatalities involving young people. Stories about older people committing suicide resulted in more traffic fatalities involving older people...News coverage of a number of suicides by self-immolation in England in the late 1970s prompted 82 suicides by self-immolation over the next year." We've seen this pattern locally as more suicide stories involving the pesticide Sniper are emerging. 

You might not think that some random person committing suicide is your problem, but the truth is that it is your problem, because one day that  "random person" can be someone in your family. 

So here's what we can do help bring down suicide rates in Nigeria: 

1. If you have frequent suicidal thoughts, reach out for professional help. If you are not ready to take this important step, avoid triggers in the meantime. For example, avoid having Sniper in your home as you might be tempted to do something silly. 

2. Try to resolve personal issues as unresolved issues can trigger suicidal tendencies. 

3. Confide in someone you trust, or find an anonymous suicide counseling service online.

4. Recharge yourself. Selfcare is important. 

5. When you have a depressive episode, try not to over rationalize why you are experiencing the episode. Just pass time by reading a book, watching TV, or just doing something. 

6. There is nothing as wise as living in the moment. Heaven will not fall no matter what you have to deal with. 

You might not be dealing with mental health issues, but try to reach out to other people. Especially people who laugh a lot or who sometimes post cryptic messages on social media. Also, don't ask anyone who tells you that they are depressed, why they are depressed. It's a stupid question. Just ask how you can be of help or if they want to talk about anything on their minds. 

In conclusion, more Nigerians are taking the option of suicide as a means to end their suffering and this public health issue needs our collective attention.