Role Of Philanthropy To Support Mental Health Interventions In India

"Each suicide is a tragic personal event that prematurely claims a person's life, and has a ripple effect, affecting the lives of their families, friends, neighbors, and society as a whole."

That's the opinion of Priya Hiranandani in an op-ed for the Times of India, which notes that 1,48,738 people in India died by suicide in 2020.

That's more than any other country in the world, and it's one that's getting a lot of attention.

The World Health Organization notes that only 38 nations have a national suicide prevention policy, and only a handful of them have made suicide prevention one of their top health objectives.

Hiranandani writes that philanthropists can help by removing the stigma around mental illness and helping people get the support they need.

"Discussion around mental illness and suicide is mired in stigma and taboo," she writes.

"The stigma that is pervasive makes individuals afraid and prevents them from speaking up about their own anxiety and depression.

However, discussing suicide lowers the risk that one will actually commit suicide and inspires individuals to get support and share their experiences."



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