Sri Lanka Sumithrayo commemorates World Suicide Prevention Day

By Ruzaik Farook

Sri Lanka Sumithrayo Colombo, under the global umbrella theme ‘Suicide prevention across the globe: Strengthening protective factors and instilling hope,’ and the localised subtheme ‘Don’t despair, we care,’ organised a candle lighting event to remember those who have died by suicide on 10 September.

A suicide prevention walk was also held on 15 September, aimed at improving the understanding of suicide and ways to increase awareness about prevention.

Sri Lanka Sumithrayo was formed in 1974 as a Government approved charity and the Colombo branch is housed at 60B, Horton Place, Colombo 7 and provides confidential emotional support free of charge. It is manned by more than 110 trained volunteers 365 days of the year from 9.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. for people who are experiencing difficulties and feelings of despair, including those that may lead to suicide.

Sumithrayo’s vision is to strive for a society where people are able to explore their feelings and acknowledge and respect the feelings of others so that very few people die by suicide. Sumithrayo’s values are based on the premise of people having the opportunity to explore difficult feelings, that they be listened to in confidence and accepted without prejudice that can alleviate despair and suicidal feelings and also so that everyone has the right to make fundamental decisions about their own life.

Sumithrayo’s primary objective is suicide prevention and awareness. Suicide is a complex problem for which there is no single cause or reason. It results from a complex interaction of biological, genetic, psychological, social, cultural and environmental factors. It has no racial or class distinctions.

Inability to cope with difficult situations in life is one of the leading causes of suicide where loneliness, depression, anxiety, hopelessness and a host of negative emotions could ultimately lead to ending one’s own life.

For most people, suicidal thoughts remain as mere thoughts, but others try to put them into action when they feel they have no one to turn to who is close enough or anyone they trust to help them through their problems.

In a shocking disclosure, Sri Lanka Police said last week that some 1,775 suicides were reported to have taken place in Sri Lanka till end August 2012 so far this year. The highest numbers of people who are reported to have committed suicide were between the ages of 40 and 55.

The commonest reasons for committing suicide are the break-up of love affairs and marriages, addiction to drugs and alcohol, family disputes, mental disorders and death of loved ones.

When people are faced with an emotional crisis mostly they require informal and confidential, emotional support. Sumithrayo is a friend who has the time to listen, does not advice or criticises but helps the person to come to terms with the situation and feel confident to better cope with it.

Befriending is the offering of friendship, the giving of one’s undivided benevolent attention to another at a time when she/he is feeling deeply troubled. The active process of listening to a person’s feeling and allowing them to unburden gives great relief while also enabling them to think and see more clearly about their difficult situations.

Sumithrayo Colombo can be contacted by phone via 2692909 and 2696666, by email: [email protected] or by visiting their centre at 60B, Horton Place, Colombo 07