JEDDAH, 15 September 2005 — The Interior Ministry reported 119 cases of suicide this year in the Kingdom. Although the number is low in comparison to other nations, it is an issue that should not be overlooked.
There have been reports of people jumping out of windows, inhaling lethal fumes and self-immolation. Many people consider suicides as an aberration.
“It is just people being stupid and taking their lives,” said Rahaf, a working woman in Jeddah. “I don’t think it reflects much on our society. This happens everywhere.”
According to numbers from the Center of Forensic Science in Riyadh, the age range of suicide victims has shifted from 50-30 to around 40-20. There has also been an increase in the number of suicide attempts by women.
A psychologist interviewed by Arab News said Saudi women may use suicide attempts as a statement rather than an actual effort to end life. Ministry statistics showed a significant number of women among the 291 attempted suicides this year.
“You have many women who feel they are not being heard, and so they do something crazy like jump out a window, or take pills,” said Dr. Sameera Al-Ghamdi, a psychologist at a local clinic. “They do this because, for example, their fathers forced a decision such as marriage on them, or they feel their husbands don’t care for them.”
The choice is one of desperation rather than intention of death. When a person seriously decides on death they usually take much more drastic measures. Despite a high level of awareness about help for psychological problems in the Kingdom, it may have little effect on someone who is suicidal.
“There is little you can do to stop them if they don’t approach anyone for help,” said Dr. Mumtaz Abd Al-Wahab, a visiting doctor in one of Jeddah’s local hospital and professor of psychiatry at Cairo University.
He noted that there were a number of reasons that might prompt a person to consider suicide. Globally, depression is the No. 1 cause of suicide.
The doctor said depression can be caused by a number of factors, notably chemical imbalances in the brain, which lead to anxiety and uncharacteristic behavior. People with chemical imbalances see the world through a filter of darkness. They have lost hope, life goals and spirit so death seems like a reasonable choice to those so afflicted.
Other reasons for depression include social, marital or financial pressures. A person may feel incompetent or unworthy of a certain job or spouse. A person also may feel a sense of failure. These factors also can lead to deep depression that ends in suicide.
Suicidal people sometimes face continuous panic attacks. A panic attack prompts a person to feel great urgency or paralyzing terror. The person begins to sweat profusely, the heart rate increases and choking or chest pains may follow.
“There have been cases where people commit suicide because of continuous panic attacks. They get so disorientated and feel that the end is coming anyway,” said Dr. Al-Wahab.
Another big contributor to suicide cases is drug abuse. Even though the Kingdom has a low rate of drug abuse, there are still those few who get addicted and experience disorientation when trying to kick the habit. Disorientation and withdrawal symptoms make some feel like they have no hope of success and death is the only solution.
