The Post Graduate Medical Institute & AmeerUddin Medical College Principal Prof. Dr. Muhammad Al-Fareed Zafar has said that instead of going to so-called spiritual healers for “Taweez & goons people should take medical advice and get treatment from doctors & psychiatrists for their psychological problems and depression so that they could rid off their mental health issues and negative thinking of suicide due to mental depression. He further said that suicide is also a psychological disorder which happens due to various socio-economic factors and situations of human mind which compels him to end life. Principal LGH said that it is not appropriate to associate suicide with poverty and economic hardship and no one can attempt to end the life only on this basis.
These views were expressed by Prof. Al-Fareed while talking to the participants of the suicide prevention awareness walk organized by the Department of Psychiatry of Lahore General Hospital here today in which a large number of doctors and paramedical staff were present. Prof. Jodat Saleem, MS Prof. Narat Sohail, HoD Psychiatry Dr. Faiza Athar, Dr. Usama, Dr. Rafi, Dr. Anila, Dr. Farhana, Shahnaz Dar were present. The participants displayed awareness banners and placards while this year’s theme is “Instilling Hope Through Action”. Medical experts said that the rate of suicide in America, Japan, Great Britain and other developed countries is higher than that of poor countries. To solve this problem, we must consider and promote the teachings of Islam. Prof. Zafar highlighted that the teachings of Allah Almighty in the Holy Quran are also that a person should not despair in any situation which will have terrible consequences. He said that in contrary to religious teachings under the pressure of the situation, people go for the shortcuts for the treatment of their deprivations, diseases and the realization of their dreams, which is not a solution to the problem but causes many social and moral disorders that lead to suicide.
Prof. JodutSaleem/MS Prof. NudratSohail said that LGH has a state-of-the-art Psychiatric Ward where senior doctors are available to treat patients so for depression they should prefer to consult with psychiatrists and their families should also motivate them in this regard. It is also important to pay special attention to the patient, comfort and counsel him so that one should not lose his life due to loneliness.
HoD Psychiatry Department Dr. Faiza Athar highlighted that according to the report of the World Health Organization, annually 10 lakh people globally try to end their lives and the purpose of celebrating this World Day is also to raise public awareness to reduce the incidents of suicide. She said that according to another review report, 3 thousand people commit suicide every day around the world in which people between the ages of 15 and 44 are included in large numbers. She further said that the causes of suicide include accidental trauma, drug use and relationship breakdown, financial problems, sudden death of a loved one and lack of mental balance.
Principal PGMI said that it has been observed that people commit suicide in developed countries who do not face economic problems but they kill themselves because of the uniformity of the situation. He said that it is also the responsibility of the benefactors and rich people of the society to help the disadvantaged and poor ones to stand on their feet, earn employment and help them for a better future. He said that in the beginning of Islam, the economic conditions of Muslims were not good and history shows that people in the state of Makkah and Madinah, despite suffering from extreme financial difficulties there was no concept of suicide. Prof. Al-Fareed clarified that suicide is forbidden in Islam and a person who commits this sin is guilty of murdering the whole human life and he is punished the same as killing a person for no reason.
