Let us reach out and help those who are suicidal
Essequibo is the El Dorado County of wealth for our country, with its natural resources and as home of the majestic Kaieteur Falls. It is not only its natural resources we should be proud of, but we should always recognize that its people in the natural environment are our most important resource. Our hearts are filled with love for Essequibo’s natural beauty; we embrace our hard-working and most kind-hearted Essequibian brothers and sisters. The business community in Essequibo ought to be flourishing. Businessmen and companies are supposed to be employing locals. They should be reaching out and providing empowerment with business skills to the people so that they can be successful in life and do well in their natural environment. Why then are foreigners given more opportunities than locals? This question can only be answered by the Government. The year 2015 has just commenced and Essequibians of all ages are rapidly becoming disgusted with life. The Essequibo Coast has so far recorded three cases of suicide, with one being an elderly woman. The second was a man who was frustrated and often threatened to kill his two young children. He ingested poison. Prior to that, he had attempted to throw his two children over the sea wall. The third is a 33-year-old man of Golden Fleece who was apparently experiencing domestic problems. The many ills facing Essequibians undoubtedly contribute to so many suicides. The people are crying out for “Help”. Suicide is a deliberate act of self-destruction in which the chance of surviving is uncertain. It is caused by unbearable psychological pain or psychache. Psychache is the hurt, anguish or ache that takes hold in the mind. It is the pain of excessively felt shame, guilt, anxiety, loneliness, angst, dread of growing old or dying badly, terminal illness, financial insecurity, social ills in society and a government that seeks to take of its own and leave the other out in the cold. Suicide is a tragic drama in the mind. Death is actively sought to stop the unceasing flow of painful consciousness. There is one sign which characterizes a suicidal state of mind – constriction. It is the narrowing of the person’s focus of attention which leads to one word “only” in all suicidal intentions. We need to help them discover other solutions. Many people who are contemplating suicide call a friend, church or agency for assistance. What can we do to help people who are considering suicides? Look out for the three “Hs” that are highly descriptive of a suicidal person. First is Hopelessness. The young people have become very hopeless in our society today. Many of them just completed Secondary School and have 7-12 CXC subjects and are unemployed. The elderly are also hopeless as they face expenses for medical health, food, electricity, water etc. The meagre pension is grossly inadequate. Very frequently these senior citizens have to assist in raising grandchildren because of the low income of their parents. Secondly is Helplessness concomitant with depression. They are no longer connected to anyone or anything. They are unable to help themselves and become frustrated because they are unable to help others who depend on them. This applies especially to elderly men who have lost much of the meaning of life. They no longer have their occupation which was their source of identity and self-esteem. With no other pillar of finances, nothing is left with them. They feel incapable because they are unable to provide for those who depend on them. Third is Haplessness – where their lives have become very sad and they feel miserable in this world. Their emotion has dried up leaving them with nothing to entertain the physical body. Happiness, joy, peace and love are connected to our emotions. When this is dried up, everything becomes dead. A suicidal person feels that life is not worth living anymore. Over the years researchers and doctors have tried to determine what induces persons to take their lives. Based upon research, five types of suicidal indicators among adolescents have been identified. Among them the most common type is “a cry for help”. This type of individual is the most successful at recovering when treated. Teens have problems and would like to be advised of some way of dealing with it. They are at a place where nothing has worked. They feel blocked and that their only resort is suicide. Sometimes the attempt at suicide is their way of trying to get our attention to help them resolve their problem. Suicide rates in Guyana are among the highest in the world. This is indeed very disturbing. Mentioned above are just three cases of suicide in Essequibo. There was also a case of suicide this week in Georgetown. Women For Change, which is the women’s segment of the AFC, is calling on all organizations, individuals and households to pay attention to those who are suicidal to reach out and help them.
