Kuttichira Praveenlal
Department of Psychiatry, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India.
Indian J Psychol Med. 2018 Mar-Apr;40(2):108-112. doi: 10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_109_17.
Suicides rank high as the cause of human deaths. But research on whole family ending life is scanty. This study explored the family suicides in Kerala.
All the family suicides reported from four central districts of Kerala State during the year 2000 were included. Cases were prospectively located from different sources. A research associate systematically gathered information, from survivors, family and key persons in the locality.
84 lives lost in 32 incidents involving 99 persons. No report from Muslim dominated district. Largest age group was 19 and below, others progressively decreased. Poisoning formed most frequent method; drowning, burns, hanging and wrist slashing followed. Suicide notes were left in half. Mental illness and physical illness were noted in five and eight incidents respectively. Financial crisis reported as the main reason. The SES of the deceased and their parents were same but half of the families were leading a life at a higher level than could be afforded. Warning signals noted in 12 incidents. Decision was taken by father and mother (17), mother (10) or father alone (5). The incidents came to the attention of others without long delay.
Firm stand of the religion against suicides on individual reasons could explain absence of family suicides from Muslim dominated district. Selection of sure method and flawless execution explains high lethality. Presence of victims explains more loss of young lives and profile difference from reported suicide attempts. Opening up of avenues for higher dreaming due to globalisation and wider visual media could be a reason for living unaffordable standard of life and resulting financial difficulty. The warning signals were recognised, but not responded by others. Social support was strong within the family but was non-existing with outside. Strong social support could be pathological if it is narrow.
自杀是导致人类死亡的重要原因。但关于整个家庭结束生命的研究却很少。本研究探讨了喀拉拉邦的家庭自杀情况。
纳入了2000年喀拉拉邦四个中心地区报告的所有家庭自杀案例。通过不同来源前瞻性地确定案例。一名研究助理系统地从幸存者、家庭和当地关键人物那里收集信息。
32起事件中有84人丧生，涉及99人。穆斯林占主导的地区没有报告。最大年龄组为19岁及以下，其他年龄组逐渐减少。中毒是最常见的方法；其次是溺水、烧伤、上吊和割腕。半数案例留下了遗书。分别在5起和8起事件中发现有精神疾病和身体疾病。报告称金融危机是主要原因。死者及其父母的社会经济地位相同，但一半家庭的生活水平高于其承受能力。12起事件中发现了警示信号。由父亲和母亲（17起）、母亲（10起）或仅父亲（5起）做出决定。这些事件很快就被其他人注意到。
宗教坚决反对因个人原因自杀，这可以解释穆斯林占主导地区没有家庭自杀事件的原因。选择可靠的方法并完美执行解释了高致死率。有受害者意味着更多年轻生命的丧失以及与报告的自杀未遂情况的特征差异。全球化和更广泛的视觉媒体带来了更高的梦想追求途径，这可能是导致生活水平超出承受能力并引发经济困难的一个原因。警示信号被识别出来了，但其他人没有做出反应。家庭内部的社会支持很强，但外部却不存在。如果社会支持狭隘，可能会产生病态。
