Half the women who attempt suicide in city are below 25

Chennai: Mariya M (name changed), 22, stood at the ledge of her terrace in Adyar, tears flowing and toes trembling. The terrace gate banged open, and her mother rushed towards her, pulling her down and into a tight embrace. But many young women aren’t so lucky. Almost half of the women admitted to the Stanley Medical College and Hospital between October 2021 and March 2022 after attempting suicide were below the age of 25, revealed a study, ‘Risk Factors Associated with Female Suicide Attempts: A Cross-sectional Study’. The study, by the department of psychiatry of Stanley Medical College, was published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research recently.

In these five months 170 women had been hospitalised after suicide attempts. Of them, 79 (47%) were below the age of 25, and 73 (43%) had completed high school, college degrees or both. Besides, 99 (58%) of the women were unemployed and 111 (65%) were married. Also, 148 belonged to nuclear families and 92 of them were city-bred. The study also revealed that 91 were from economically weaker sections. Marital or interpersonal conflict was the top reason cited for the suicide bids.

“Young, educated, married, unemployed women from urban areas being highly susceptible to suicide in the city shows a worrying trend,” said Dr Sundaravalli G, the corresponding author of the study. “Women below the age of 25 attempt suicide more because of mood disorders due to hormonal changes,” said Sundaravalli.

“If a young woman has pre-existing psychological issues, it will manifest more significantly as she ages,” said Dr. Lakshmi Vijayakumar, founder of Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre. More than 88.2% of the 170 women who attempted suicide had psychiatric problems. This included depression, adjustment disorder, personality disorder, and schizophrenia. And 90% of them consumed poison to end their lives.

Money, health, and family or social support are the three pillars of happiness in a person’s life, she said. Analysis also showed the most common cause for attempting suicide was marital conflict or interpersonal issues. “If a married woman has to depend on her husband for money, it will affect financial independence and even health to some extent,” said Dr Sundaravalli. Also, many women after marriage move out of their parent’s homes and may not have enough emotional support if marital conflicts arise.

Women, especially those who are married but unemployed, may also be pressured to set aside their own desires by their families, Sundaravalli said. And if their husbands indulge in alcoholism or extramarital affairs, such homemakers become helpless and hopeless, leading to extreme outcomes, said the study.

The study reflects national NCRB data which shows more young women die by suicide than their male counterparts, and the major reason is interpersonal relationship conflicts. NCRB had said Chennai had the highest number of suicides among cities from 2014 to 2019. It ranked second in 2020 and 2021. And since 2013, Tamil Nadu has recorded the second highest number of suicides in the country.


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss the yearly horoscope 2025 and Chinese horoscope 2025 for Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes, messages. quotes.