Opinion: Life’s not a dead end, power through your problems

Why view a death through such a narrow, tunnel vision, especially when there are reports of people committing suicide almost every day? We should address the larger issue, and not highlight celeb deaths and bury similar endings of ordinary people in inside pages of a newspaper. Hundreds of couple’s approach family courts, seeking a divorce, but only celebrity splits make headlines. We should all bring about a change in how we view such traumatic episodes. Just because you are a celebrity it does not mean you do not have the same pressures as regular folks. Once an actor walks away from the shooting spot, real life problems affect him or her in the same way it impacts an ordinary man.

As a society, we should all understand that it takes a lot of courage to commit suicide. People face extreme circumstances that test their endurance level when they decide to end their lives. In fact, I would say the final act of taking one’s life happens when one reaches the brink, when instead of taking a step back, they take the plunge. But once that moment passes, the urge to live will come to the fore again. It is at this crucial point we all need to help a person. I would want to tell everyone, “Show the same courage and strength needed to commit suicide by living!”

Someone asked me this question: Do television actors commit suicide because they hit professional menopause by the time they turn 30. Do they see roles slipping away, they have money, but they feel they are too old? My answer is, no that is not true. Professional menopause can hit anyone at any age, the burn out in IT sector is far higher, I am often told. What is clear is that in today’s world, we are all under a lot of pressure. However, nothing comes easy in life. For anyone. We all have to pull on our inner strengths. But some find it difficult and fall into a depression.

Additionally, we have the support system by way of family and friends. When someone commits suicide, they leave an entire family mourns the loss every single day. Each one of them could have been of help. But some people fail to acknowledge that they are under depression and fail to seek help. If you are unable to talk to your family, you can talk to your friends. 

By far the best solution should be to approach professional help. Therapists can help you come out of your depression, but somehow, in India therapy is usually equated with mental illness. In fact, whenever there is a case of suicide, the headlines should be on the need for more professional therapists.