A recent Ministry of Justice report showed the ministry recorded 27 suicide attempt cases during the first three months of this year, with 12 cases taking place in Riyadh, four in Makkah, two in Dammam, Tabuk and Arar respectively, and one each in the cities of Hawtat Bani Tameem, Ahsa, Hail, Dhamad and Skaka.
Psychiatrist Muhammad Al-Qahtani said women account for 90 percent of the cases. The reasons for the attempted suicides include psychological disorders caused by family problems, in addition to poor economic status that leads to a failure to meet the simplest requirements and consequently driving them to believe they are oppressed.
“Girls’ psychological disorders that develop without members of the family recognizing it or knowing about it may develop into depression and having suicidal thoughts. Boys have more leeway in life,” he said to a local newspaper.
Ibtisam Annouri, social consultant, said suicides are not widespread and the cases are individual ones of persons who have mental disorders such as chronic depression. Psychiatric clinics did not report increases in suicide attempts among patients, she said. “Suicide attempts can be the result of violence against the person during childhood. The effect of violence would increase. Times of crisis and the shocks associated with them can also be reasons.”
“In this day and age, parents must constantly monitor and talk to their daughters who are dealing with an information revolution represented by social networking websites where different religions, traditions, views and behaviors that may contradict (the girl’s own) are present. Therefore, the father and mother must get closer to their daughters and talk to them constantly.”
