Couple of days back, Sushant Singh Rajput, an upcoming Bollywood actor apparently suffering from chronic depression ended up his life by killing himself. A versatile actor who could have gone long way in his life and carve his niche decided to cut short it by killing himself.
I remember a scene from the iconic movie "3 IDIOTS". A young student's (his last name was Lobo) design of a flying machine was rejected multiple times by his recalcitrant teacher. So, he hung himself to death.
When confronted by Aamir Khan in that movie, the Principal gets defensive - "Are you making me responsible for one odd suicide by a student who couldn't take the pressure" ? Aamir's reply was - "I am making the entire system responsible".
He wasn't far from the truth. Often the pressure cooker environment of the system without a lid for an escape route can lead to catastrophic consequences when excess steam builds up in the form of mental stress to blow up on the face. Tragedy follows beyond redemption.
Aamir Khan speaks some hard truth in that movie. Students carry a lot of burden and expectations from their demanding parents and a cit throat competitive society. The simple equation Ambition - Achievement = Frustration holds good. Often they snap, as the lid of the pressure cooker comes off burning the face.
In this context, Sushant Singh's suicide calls for some introspection. As reported by media, the actor originally from Bihar was under some kind of stress of late.
Not so unusual in Bollywood when on lives under the glare of neon lights, achievement often doesn't match ambition and life is curtailed at a tender age. It has been happening since the age of Guru Dutt and Meena Kumari who were connoisseurs in their fields in celluloid world ended up ending their lives.
Suicides are happening quite frequently in premier educational institutes in India. Now a days, many mediocre students churned out of innumerable coaching institutes manage to clear the entrance test. Once in, when left on their own they can't cope up with the aggressive curriculum and choose end their lives unable to face the milieu. This was confided by some professors of an IIT to a friend of mine who regularly visits his Alma mater whenever he makes a trip to India.
Every person has right to live. It hurts utmost when someone commits suicide. And it hurts more, if that person happens to be young. Like every man and woman of their age, they too have a dream, but unwisely decide to procrastinate their unfulfilled dream by killing themselves.
When does a person decide to end his or her life ? It's not just because of the frustration with their life, it's more due to their lack of care or concern for rest of the world, which includes their near and dear ones. If I feel suicidal for some reason, I may resist that thought for a moment, if I think of my family, if not me. Apparently they don't care about their loved one and decide to end their life at the spurt of the moment, never getting a second chance to regret it later.
Suicides amongst youngsters are on rise. Surging hormone gone wild can create havoc in heart and mind, which can be due to failure in career, romance, academics or bullying by others.
The greatest tragedy is silence of the silent majority, which is conspicuously deafening who turn a blind eye to the competition and peer pressure which is to be blamed. A good number of folks consider themselves as under achiever and put undue pressure on their children to outsmart and outshine their parents. Keen to see their kids fulfill their unfulfilled dreams, they often push them too hard until they snap - crashing their parent's dream.
With growth of urbanization and break in nuclear families, mental stress related issues in India are on the rise. The country has been so far laid back in addressing this issue. Mental health and stress reduction therapy is at its infancy and has some catch up to with the Western world, though India has made advances in conventional medical fields. It's time we take mental health seriously before it is too late.
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