BENGALURU: National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data on suicide rates in the nation’s cities puts Bengaluru in a troubling spot. While among metropolitan cities it ranks second, behind Delhi in terms of number of suicides, its suicide ratio as per population is significantly higher, earning it the first spot amongst metros. Mental health experts in the city are of the opinion that the city’s pace and work environments allow little time to reflect on one’s mental condition, let alone recover.
NCRB data from the 2024 calendar year shows 2403 suicides with a population of 84.99 lakh people, making city’s suicide rate - 28.3; Delhi, for reference, had 2905 suicides amongst a population of 163.15 lakh people, making a suicide rate of 17.8.
“The increase in suicides may also reflect the cumulative effect of multiple pressures converging at once. Economic uncertainty, demanding work cultures, rising living costs, relationship instability, social isolation, and the constant pressure to perform have created an environment where many people feel they have very little room for emotional recovery,” said Neha Cadabam, a senior psychologist at Cadabam’s Hospital, adding that in her experience, she had found that particularly in Bengaluru, there was a “growing mismatch between how people appear externally and what they are experiencing internally.”
On the other end of the work experience spectrum, joblessness – especially in cases where it affects prolonged bouts – can be an equally potent source of anxiety, especially in a city so competitive and volatile in terms of job security.
“Many individuals initially attempt to cope independently, but prolonged uncertainty can contribute to depression, anxiety, substance use, and feelings of helplessness.
Unfortunately, financial concerns often delay professional consultation, meaning many seek psychiatric help only after symptoms have become severe enough to interfere with daily functioning,” said Megha Shankar, a clinical psychologist.
In the context of work pressure in a city like Bengaluru that is operating past its saturation point in terms of industrialisation, experts believe that simply decentralising the city will not be enough.
“Decentralisation may reduce certain environmental stressors, but suicide rates are not determined by population density alone. Simply redistributing industries will not automatically reduce psychological risk unless these systems are strengthened alongside economic development,” said Shankar.
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