Suicide attempts increase in Batam

Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam

The number of attempted suicides in Batam so far this year has been higher than last year, with records from two large hospitals showing that of 73 people who were hospitalized this year after attempting suicide, eight had died.

Last year, only 29 people attempted to commit suicide. Twenty- seven of them were saved, while two died.

Similar to this year's trend, females made up the majority of those attempting to commit suicide. Out of the 29 attempted suicides last year, 23 were female. The remaining two people who committed suicide were male, according to data from the Budi Kemuliaan and Otorita Batam Hospitals.

The deputy director of the Budi Kemuliaan Hospital, Dr. Danang Legowo, told The Jakarta Post recently that 33 out of the total 73 attempted suicides had consumed insecticide. Most of these were women aged between 18 and 35. "The majority of them were facing relationship problems. They were been abandoned or their partners had been unfaithful," said Danang.

Danang said that drinking insecticide was a common method of committing suicide. Most people who consumed pesticides died within between one and three hours.

"However, if the person is taken to hospital within an hour -- and the hospital is made aware of what they have consumed -- there is a chance that his life can be saved," said Danang.

Separately at the Otorita Batam Hospital, 40 people were admitted between January and August this year after unsuccessful suicide attempts, while eight men committed suicide by hanging themselves.

Among the reasons why people attempt to commit suicide are financial and relationship problems.

A psychologist with the Otorita Batam Hospital, Bella Patriajaya, said most people who attempted suicide were young women. "They are far from home. If their hearts are broken, they have no one to comfort them,

"The majority of residents in Batam -- which has a population of 560,000 -- are migrants, and most of these are female. Those who are deeply depressed, or who have been abandoned by their partners, may not be able to see any other way out," said Bella.

She said that people who had attempted suicide usually suffered depression for many years afterwards.

"The may still have the desire to end their lives," said Bella.