Bangalore, January 19: According to the National Crime Records Bureau, at least 35 in every 100,000 people in Bangalore commit suicide. This would mean about 3 lakhs, 50 thousand people in the country of a billion.
Experts say most suicide cases in the city are related to stress; its citizens are unable to cope with Bangalore’s quick growth. If you walk into Bangalore’s leading hospitals, you will find a large number of patients suffering from stress-related ailments.
Work and the city’s chaotic traffic contribute to increased stress among Bangalore residents. Anoushka Tripathy, a clinical psychologist, says, “Several of my patients, especially from the IT and BPO industry, complain that they are unable to cope with their work. Extended work timings, competition and, most importantly, insecurity at work are contributing to an increase in people’s stress levels.”
Another reason is that many young people working in these industries have no family life. “By the time they return from work, it is quite late. Their family members are either sleeping or they themselves are too tired to talk, which makes them very lonely.”
Take the case of Ravi Varma (name changed), a customer service adviser at a reputed BPO. Unable to bear the stress and loneliness, he attempted suicide five months ago. Luckily, he was saved due to quick medical attention. Ravi says the loneliness and stress got to him. He hardly had any time to spend with his family or friends. “Sometimes I felt like discussing work-related issues with my family, but never got the opportunity because of my work hours.”
A close study indicates that work-related insecurity, extended working hours and stringent deadlines also contribute to Bangalore’s rising stress levels. Psychiatrists say those afflicted by stress should spend more time with the family and talk about their problem.
Moreover, people working in the BPO and IT industries constantly need to adjust to different cultures as they keep interacting with different people of different nationalities. This constant change also takes a toll on them, the doctors say.
The common factor, the doctors add, is that most of these youngsters are stressed out about money. Since the IT boom took place, salaries are at an unbelievable high.
This has prompted banks to make tempting loan offers. At least five out of 10 IT workers fall into the trap. Says Kishore Alva, a software engineer, “It is the EMIs that worry us. How do we repay the banks if we lose our jobs? This factor is on my mind almost every day and increases my stress levels.”
–Agencies