CHENNAI: With the Class 12 public exam results releasing today, students and their parents are facing some anxious moments. Student suicides go up when exam results are out, as students are under a lot of stress.
According to statistics by Sneha, a suicide prevention helpline, 14,424 people committed suicide in Tamil Nadu in 2009, of which 1,412 were from Chennai. Out of the total number of suicides in Tamil Nadu, the helpline registered 223 people who took their lives. They had one common reason – failing in exams. The helpline officials said they had received a lot of students in the city call for help, before and after the exams. Many of these calls are students battling depression. But they are counselled to believe that they are worth much more than what the exam results indicate.
Psychologists say suicide rates would reduce substantially if students had a strong support system to convince them that bad results is not the end of the road. Dr Abhilasha, psychologist and hypnotherapist, says having strong and supportive parents prevent students from taking such extreme steps. “Even before exam results are announced, assure your kids the outcome of exam results is not going to change how you feel about them,” she explained.
She also advises against comparing a child with another. “That’s a strict no-no. Statements like ‘I told you this would happen if you didn’t do as I said’, should not be thrown at a student, especially if he or she is upset with marks.”
Parents usually refuse to believe their child is capable of suicide or even have thoughts about it, says Abhilasha. “Even if they’re 100% sure your child won’t take any extreme steps, it is still essential to reassure them,” she added.