Kathmandu, September 6
With suicidal thoughts, growing as a significant public health issue, psychologists and Suicidologist today have called on journalists to stop glorifying suicide when reporting suicide-related events. Experts in the field urged media to adopt more sensitive approaches while covering the cases of suicide and related incidents.
“Glorification of suicide is very harmful. It becomes crucial to keep in mind how the media portrays the news of suicide,” Dr. Shyam Prasad Lohani, a Suicidologist, said at the MediaTalk series-xxxvi, organized by the Faculty of Journalism, Department of Major Arts, St. Xavier’s College in collaboration with the Mannveshan Club of Psychology.
Another key speaker, Aprajita Jha, an Emotional Intelligence Practitioner stressed the significance of helping individuals in moments of distress and despair.
“If you can help in the exact moment, then you should because the empathy one shows for a few minutes can help regularize the person’s thoughts,” said Jha.
She also stressed the need for self-awareness, emphasizing that; one must identify one’s emotions, choices, and true desires through three important questions, “What am I feeling right now? What are my choices? And what do I truly want?”
To raise awareness and equip students with strategies to cope with and prevent suicidal thoughts the event focused on the theme of Preventative strategies in coping with suicidal thoughts.
