HOLD ON TO LIFE: CHANGING THE NARRATIVE ON SUICIDE! By Dr Amit Dias

A World Suicide Prevention Day Special!

ALMOST every day we hear of a new incident of life lost due to suicide. On suicide prevention day observed on September 10, we re-visit this important issue and try to find solutions to the problem.
A life lost and a family suddenly learning to live with a question that may never have an answer: Could we have done something differently?
Behind every suicide is a person. And behind every person is a story, a family and a network of people whose lives are changed forever.
This is why World Suicide Prevention Day, observed on September 10, asks us to do more than remember those we have lost. The 2026 theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” carries a simple call to action: “Start the Conversation.”
Perhaps it is time we changed the way we speak about suicide. We need to change the narrative.
Instead of asking, “Why did they do it?” Let us ask, “What pain were they carrying, and could we have helped them carry it?” India’s numbers are sobering. According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau data, 1,70,746 people died by suicide in India in 2024, compared with 1,71,418 in 2023. The number represents 1,70,746 individual lives — not merely cases recorded in a report.
Every suicide is a life and every life is precious.
RECENT events have brought this reality painfully close. The reported suicide of former Delhi Chief Secretary and IAS officer who also served in Goa, has again reminded us that vulnerability does not respect status, education or professional achievement. His story reminds us of something we often forget: suffering does not always have a visible face.
A person may be successful, respected, educated, financially secure or surrounded by people — and still feel overwhelmed, lonely or hopeless. This is particularly important when we talk about older adults.
September is also Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, bringing attention to people living with dementia and, importantly, the families and caregivers who walk alongside them. Dementia can affect independence, relationships and a person’s sense of identity.
Working with families when their loved one was diagnosed with dementia, I can say that the diagnosis may bring profound fear: Will I become dependent? Will I become a burden?
Caregivers can face exhaustion, grief, financial stress, isolation and emotional distress. Counselling makes a huge difference as revealed in our dementia home care project supported by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
Therefore, when we talk about dementia care, we must ask two questions: How is the person with dementia doing? And equally importantly: How is the caregiver doing?
This is where the new narrative must begin. Here are a few guidelines to help prevent suicides.
S — Support Emotional Wellbeing
MENTAL wellbeing should be treated as an essential part of healthcare—not an optional extra.
We need environments where people can say, “I am not coping,” without shame. Older adults need connection, meaningful activity, independence and dignity.
And caregivers need support too —respite, counselling, information, peer groups and someone who occasionally asks, “How are you managing?”Sometimes that simple question can be the beginning of help.
U — Understand the Warning Signs
NOT everyone who is struggling will announce it.
Look for changes: persistent sadness, withdrawal, hopelessness, loss of interest, unusual anxiety or agitation, expressions of worthlessness or being a burden, or conversations about death.
In older people, these signs can easily be dismissed as “old age.” In dementia, they may be attributed simply to the disease.
We need to look closer.
A sudden change deserves attention. When someone says life feels unbearable, we must take them seriously.
I — Intervene Early
PREVENTION often begins before a crisis. We gained a lot of insights into this from our DIL initiative (prevention of Depression in Late Life study done in collaboration with Prof Charles Reynolds from the University of Pittsburgh and Sangath). Depression, anxiety, chronic pain, sleep problems, substance use, grief and other treatable conditions can contribute to emotional distress. Illness was among the major circumstances associated with reported suicides in India in 2024. Early intervention is not an admission of weakness. It is an investment in life.

C — Connect to Professional Help
COMPASSIONATE listening is powerful —but sometimes professional help is essential. Doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors and community health professionals all have a role, especially in accessible primary and community care.

Tele-MANAS provides 24×7 mental-health support in India through 14416. If someone is in immediate danger, they should not be left alone and urgent professional or emergency assistance should be sought.

I — Involve Family and Friends
NO one should have to face emotional suffering alone. Family, friends and neighbours may notice changes before anyone else. We do not need all the answers; sometimes we simply need to be present. Listen. Call again. Accompany them to a doctor. Help with practical tasks. Remind them that they matter.

D — Destigmatise Mental Health
MENTAL illness has too often been surrounded by shame. People are told to “be strong” or “think positive.” Older adults may silently endure loneliness, while caregivers feel guilty admitting exhaustion.
Replace judgement with empathy. Asking someone whether they are thinking about suicide does not encourage suicide. A compassionate question can instead create an opportunity for honesty, connection and help. We should be willing to listen without judgement and encourage professional support when needed. Talking can open a door that silence keeps locked.

E — Encourage HOPE
HOPE does not mean pretending everything is fine. It means believing that things can change. Distress can be treated, loneliness reduced, pain managed, relationships strengthened and support provided.
The deaths of public figures, including much-loved Hollywood actor Robin Williams, have reminded the world that fame, success and public affection do not make a person immune to suffering. His story also highlighted the complex relationship between mental health, neurological illness and dementia.

The greater lesson is about ordinary people around us—and whether we notice when they are struggling.
Let us support wellbeing, understand warning signs, intervene early, connect people to professional help, involve family and friends, destigmatise mental health and encourage hope.
Let us especially remember older adults, people living with dementia and caregivers who quietly carry enormous responsibilities. Let us replace “Why didn’t they tell anyone?” with “Did we create a safe enough space for them to tell us?”
Let us replace silence with conversation. Judgement with compassion. Isolation with connection. And despair with hope.
Prevention also means building communities where older people remain visible and valued, where caregivers can ask for help without guilt, and where mental health is discussed as naturally as blood pressure, diabetes or any other health concern. Because behind every statistic is a life, and every single life matters.
Behind every life is a story.
And every story deserves another chapter. Hold on to life. Life is precious. Let us preserve it — together. This World Suicide Prevention Day, let us not merely talk about suicide. Let us start the conversation that could help someone choose to stay.