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Parenting: Family as a strong unit in Preventing Suicide

Parenting: Family as a strong unit in Preventing Suicide. Regional Workshop to develop strategies for suicide prevention among Adolescents and children 11 th February,2010 Mrs. Susha Janardanan, Consultant Counsellor, Loyola College of Social Sciences, Trivandrum.

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Parenting: Family as a strong unit in Preventing Suicide

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  1. Parenting: Family as a strong unit in Preventing Suicide Regional Workshop to develop strategies for suicide prevention among Adolescents and children 11th February,2010 Mrs. Susha Janardanan, Consultant Counsellor, Loyola College of Social Sciences, Trivandrum

  2. It is a truism that Family and Parenting styles Influence the rate of suicides • The critical questions: • How do we understand this influence? • How do we empower Families to prevent suicides? • What are the policy implications?

  3. The Context • Kerala : highest number of suicides • Family suicides/Murder suicides • Socio-cultural dynamics of Suicides : a complex reality.

  4. Role of Family in suicide • Family support • Parental addictions • Parental monitoring

  5. Changing Structure of Family: New reality, new discourse • From Joint Family and Nuclear Family to • Single parent family • Separated /divorced family • Dysfunctional family: alcoholic; quarreling etc. • Gay family , DINK, DIOK and others • Changing Structures …Confusing roles

  6. Some socio-political and cultural factors • New Institutions : E.G. Family Court • Professionalization of the roles of Family e.g. education, entertainment… • Tolerance to divorce • Economic independence of women • Religious sanctions weaker • Consumerism- An economics that goes against family values • Debt trap • Suicide contagion

  7. Parenting styles • Authoritative(Assertive – Democratic) • Balanced; child-centered; open dialogue; encouraging independence, Limits and controls too. • Authoritarian • Conformist and compliant; no dialogue; a restrictive, punitive style ; unresponsive to children’s needs • Indulgent and neglectful • Permissive, non-directive or lenient; uninvolved; disengaged; detached, dismissive, non-conformist

  8. Families empowered… • “Families and friends are, it is claimed, the most effective (in preventing suicide), for many reasons, primary being the advantage both in numbers and availability. This is all the more true, given the fact of the proportion of impulsive, un-pre-meditated suicides that are not readily accessible to professionals is much higher than previously thought” ( O’Carrol, 2002)

  9. Specific challenges to families in preventing suicides • ‘Listen, Support and Act’- Build a culture of Dialogue – ‘Daily Dose of Dialogue’ • Learn more about suicides; Mental illnesses • Be active in addressing potential warnings • Fight the myths around suicide : e.g. talk about suicide • Be more non-judgmental and empathetic • Enlist community support • Fight ‘suicide contagion’ • Alert to Media influence

  10. Policy initiatives • Family Life Education with focus on parenting skills- Mandatory • Regulation (self?/Govt./Civil Society) of Media • Civil Society Organizations • Religious Institutions • Production of relevant attractive educational materials. • Generating a public discourse on the problem

  11. COMMUNICATION • DON’T GO AHEAD OF ME, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FOLLOW • DON’T FOLLOW ME, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO LEAD • WALK BESIDE ME AND SHARE MY FEELINGS

  12. Thank you for listening

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