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Aftercare makes a difference for self-harm survivors
View(s):Lack of a system to follow up with self-harm patients after hospital discharge is a serious concern, consultant psychiatrist Dr Chamara Wijesinghe said.
He was addressing the World Prevention Day programme by Sumithrayo at its head office on September 10.
Self-harm cases are expected to be referred to psychiatric or counselling services, but there are no follow-ups.
“People who have attempted suicide before are at higher risk of trying again. Even minor acts like overdosing after a breakup or cutting should be taken seriously,’’ said Dr Wijesinghe.
The highest suicide rate is among people over 70 years of age due to loneliness and a lack of government support.
For this initiative to be effective, hospitals and other institutions need to extend their cooperation, while private organisations can also contribute, Dr Wijesinghe said.
Sumithrayo has requested the data from hospitals on recorded overdoses, cutting incidents, and other causes of self-harm so they can implement a programme of regular home visits and follow-ups to prevent further deaths.
Sumithrayo volunteers said they visit hospitals, divisional medical officers, and police stations to collect information on suicides and attempted suicide survivors. They can make follow-up visits to homes of survivors.
The organisation raised concerns that social media and artificial intelligence are influencing vulnerable people and have become major sources linked to suicide, as many vulnerable individuals turn to technology when they lack a proper support system.
A consultant to the Gateway Group of Schools, Ms Nirmali Wickremesinghe, addressing the event, said, “Children’s self-esteem is affected when parents do not provide unconditional love and respect.”
Children often face pressure from schools and parents in academics and sports, yet what they truly need is unconditional love and respect. When parental affection appears to depend on success, children feel unworthy and increasingly rely on technology because they have no one else to turn to, she said.
This lets children seek validation from peers and social media, which can lead to suicidal thoughts.
Ms Wickremesinghe called this level of parental pressure “absolute wickedness”. Schools should also stop prioritising achievements over a child’s value, as it’s harmful.
Ms Wickremesinghe warned about the dangers of social media, urging people to “think before we share”.
Social media’s irresponsible handling of sensitive topics can also make suicide seem like a real option for young people. It’s important for everyone to think before they share things online to avoid causing pain to grieving families.
The programme highlighted the critical need for a collective effort to reduce and prevent suicides.
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