Many people these days express the urge to kill themselves or end their lives, on the internet. Recently, this has become an area of interest to me. Before i continue any further, i think we should differentiate the difference between suicidal ideation and an act of suicide. What they both mean is basically what they both sound. Ideation is a thought process which can be manifested by many reasons and the act is the act of carrying out killing themselves or an attempt on ending own life. Usually ideation persists in the mind for a long time before the act.
What interests me is the medium these people choose to display their suicide notes and the possible Werther Effect it could have. The internet has become a popular place for people to display their emotions through social networking sites and blogs. Since the emergence of MvBlogs , there is a noticeable increase in the number of people who are displaying signs of hopelessness and even contemplating or mentioning about suicide in many occasions. Internet has become THE place to go to heal the wounds or convey a message to the rest of the world.
There is evidence from many sources suggesting that reporting of completed suicide in media encourages young people in considering suicide. How ever, few sources talk on the influence of internet on suicide and how people perceive suicidal thoughts from the internet. From many observations being made by many, it is becoming clear that internet is having the potential to be a powerful destructive force that could turn ambivalence into declarations of suicide from which it might be impossible to retreat.
Internet is a limitless information hub. People are spending more and more time on the internet. Some of the material that could be found about suicide includes, newspaper accounts of completed suicides, information on suicide methods, information on how to complete suicide and academic research on suicide discussions. There are noted incidences where suicidal websites have triggered suicidal behaviour in vulnerable predisposed adolescents. In Japan where there is a high suicidal rate, authorities are facing the disturbing phenomena of strangers meeting on the internet and arranging to commit suicide together. It seems that there are more than 100,000 websites with methods of committing suicide. Usually people who want to dissuade suicide are not allowed in these sites.
There are two main points that i would like to bring to the attention of the readers.
1. Firstly that internet could encourage suicidal behaviour by depicting ways by which suicide may be committed.
2. Secondly on the reality of internet websites being a discouraging factor in seeking psychiatric help and condoning suicide.
Now keeping these points in mind let us look at the MV blogosphere. The most recent entry about having suicidal ideation comes from this blog. There are many more.
Now this is of concern. If someone mentions any of the things i am about to list below, the case has to be considered as SIGNS of NEEDING HELP and the person should be encouraged SEEKING IMMEDIATE HELP.
Some Suicide Warning Signs
If you hear some one say:
Life isn’t worth living.
My family (or friends or girlfriend/boyfriend) would be better off without me
Next time I’ll take enough pills to do the job right
Take my prized collection or valuables - I don’t need this stuff anymoreDon’t worry, I won’t be around to deal with that
You’ll be sorry when I’m gone
I won’t be in your way much longer
I just can’t deal with everything - life’s too hard
I won’t be a burden much longer
Nobody understands me - nobody feels the way I do
There’s nothing I can do to make it betterI’d be better off dead
I feel like there is no way out
You’d be better off without me
Have you noticed them doing one or more of the following activities?
Getting affairs in order (paying off debts, changing a will)
Giving away articles of either personal or monetary value
Signs of planning a suicide such as obtaining a weapon or writing a suicide note
Suicide is one of the most serious symptoms of someone who is suffering from severe depression. Common signs of depression include:
Depressed or sad mood (e.g., feeling “blue” or “down in the dumps”)
A change in the person’s sleeping patterns (e.g., sleeping too much or too little, or having difficulty sleeping the night through)
A significant change in the person’s weight or appetite
Speaking and/or moving with unusual speed or slowness
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities (e.g., hobbies, outdoor activities, hanging around with friends)
Withdrawal from family and friends
Fatigue or loss of energy
Diminished ability to think or concentrate, slowed thinking or indecisiveness
Feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach, or guilt
Thoughts of death, suicide, or wishes to be dead .
Taken from here.
There are many more signs, but what the above has given is literally a suicidal person.
So , take care of your loved ones and the ones you know.
Remember. Suicide and depression does not discriminate.
I agree with this reader, where is MMA? I am aware of the fact that niyaf has left MMA bitterly disappointed with their apathy! I just hope that this meeting being announced on TV “the general body meeting” would address the issue. The trouble is, the bullies are also part of that association!
I am also disappointed with the medical community at IGMH (MMA or not) for continuing to work as if nothing has happened. I know that most, if not all of them, have verbally supported him in this issue. Evidently that is not the kind of support he needs. It is action that is required.
I don’t know what MNA stands for. But I guess it is the nurses! True, if there is a group as such or not, I am also shocked at their level of support for niyaf. All nurses that I have spoken to have said that they all like him, like his work, and that he is possibly the best doctor in terms of his attitude towards his patients. They have all expressed their support for him. They too, have done nothing more than that.
I think dr niyaf should not leave Maldives! He should stay and try to get things better. But I wouldn’t want him to stay if people don’t value his work.
I do understand that in his current state; his career threatened, his livelihood threatened, his family’s’ future threatened and all that with hardly a voice raised by Maldivians against the injustice, he is right to leave us. For good.
NB: can we start a chain mail to raise awareness and support for dr niyaf.
@sammy: I don’t think it is politically motivated, or is it?@gh: I think he isn’t going abroad. But I have know doctors who feel he should leave for further training/specialization in neonatology(medical care for newborns)He has been noted as saying that practices pediatrics for the sake of it and not as a source for income(most would probably say that). He thinks his ‘catering’ is a much better paid primary job. But hey guys, this may be a gossip but this is what i’ve heard and confused about.
I would really like to see a post about what really happened. I’m still not able to get viable information as the only news i got from dr.n himself is that I would probably have know from the media what is happening. Maybe he meant that everything the media had published is true. But what did really happen! Only if dr.niyaf would post his side of story, till then parents like us would be in confusion.
Niyaf, because of his post at MMA, had been very vocal about bringing good change to IGMH.
Whenever doctors took a stand on issues related to their wellbeing IGMH authorities and indeed MOH took it to mean Dr Niyafs’ politically motivated criticism.
I know for a fact that he used to be called to treat the presidents grandchildren, ministers kids and grand kids. Once a delay in attending to a grandchild led to some unnecessary tension. This tension was artificially created by one Dr Naila Firdous! That was the start of this whole problem.
Then there was the verbal tension between Dr Niyaf and Ilyas. Ilyas has evidently taken it to heart, inflamed by Dr Aseels fanning of the flame.
We all know how good he is as a doctor. The fact that all the self-acclaimed high-and-mighty turn to him in times of need says it all.
Then this event at the ward round with the new head of department. This was a simple professional disagreement. Niyaf and Ismail were right too. Good practices were being left to one side. Th trouble was that the complaints taken by the new head of department were taken as face value by Dr solih, Dr Fathmath Ali and Dr Firdous. They failed to discharge their responsibility of finding out what the true event were on ward round. It is their inability to do the right thing that led them to run to Ilyas for his action.
Ilyas, as said, was not in a happy place with the verbal conflict he had had with Niyaf earlier. This was his chance to show his power.
That was the truth!
And Yasiph, you are wrong again; Niyaf IS leaving Maldives! He has already accepted an offer from overseas.
You are right however, he is going into neonatology. It maybe a big loss for us, but all this maybe a blessing in disguise for Niyaf. He’s found who his real friends are. He’s found it the hard way that the epidemic of Neurosyphilis in Maldives is this extensive!
Again, you may be wrong. It may be political. Niyaf is pro-change. Change is GOOD!
En-route chief Golhamoon has a heart attack and collapses. Dr Jungdaid rushes to the chiefs side and confidently starts resuscitation. Cycles of compressions followed by adrenaline doses were none-the-less futile.
With the adrenaline eye drop bottle near empty, the Ophthalmologist stops compressing chief Golhamoons’ eyes, and declares him dead.
The undertaker went to Maumoon’s side and said, “Now, Now, Be fair…have a fair fight”
“How can this be fair!, The guy on the other side is known to fire BLANKS only” said Maumoon and rolled on and on.
Ilyas firing-blanks-on-all-cylinders is scared shit in his panties (yup pink) afraid that docs may cripple the system.
aseel, the president of mma, wants to hit hard the already sucker-punched 2 doctors against popular support. he is doing all he can to derail the popular support train. the 2 faced jerk.
i hope the rest of the associations organising committee would do everything they can to keep doctors interests top of the agenda.
and of course; solih, firdouse, naila, fathmat did: copulate with yourselves vigorously!
If I may use some german myself i would like to say “Father Uncle Cousin King” YOU to Dr Fathmath Ali Didi, Dr Mohamed Solih, Dr Mohamed Firdous, Dr Naila Firdous, Dr Aseel Jaleel and Dr Junaid! The BasTardS!!!
The news is that some other Executive committee members would also leave the association tonight! It is very clear that the association is dying because of the apathy of the medical community to this and other events. It is no surprise that the two doctors who were suspended were the former and current (well, now-resigned) presidents of the association.
There are rumors here that Niyaf may be leaving the Medical field! Not the country as has been previously reported. These are just rumors, Niyaf cannot be contacted. His mobile is disconnected and is out of reach.
There is a group at the meeting who would be calling for Dr Solih’s resignation, for his incapacity in tackling the very minor incident that triggered the suspension. Others want Fathmath Ali Didi to be sacked as well.
I just hope that the doctors get something concrete out of this meeting.