Muthukumar Duraiappa, Krishnakumar Siva Sankara Narayanan, Prajith Thekke Madathil
BACKGROUND Adolescent suicides in India have become an alarming problem, especially among students. Severe competition and fierce expectation from the parents, teachers, family and friends, access to internet, use of mobile phones, televisions, substance abuse and westernization not only create enormous stress but also divert these young people towards practices like suicides. We wanted to categories suicidal deaths among individuals aged 10 to 19 years based on the history and relevant post-mortem findings and enumerate the methods adopted to commit suicide and to identify the common reasons and circumstances that could have led these adolescents to commit suicide. METHODS A cross sectional study including 55 adolescents who committed suicide was conducted. History and post-mortem findings were documented during autopsy. RESULTS More number of suicidal deaths were among older adolescents. Female suicidal deaths were more than males. Majority of adolescents committed suicide at their homes. Hanging was the adopted method to commit suicide in majority of cases. Problems related to love affair was the most common reason behind the suicides. CONCLUSIONS This study found out common reasons and circumstances that have led the adolescents to commit suicide. There is an urgent need for co-ordinated and intensified global action to prevent adolescent suicides.
