Letters
Suicidal people need Love and care not condemnation
Feeling low
Once a person decides to commit suicide, that’s one indication that he/she is not thinking right in the mind. By saying this I am not implying that this person is mad or crazy. They simply have a mental problem that makes them think that death is the only solution to their problem.
Trust me, no person in their right mind can think of committing suicide as the last resort to their problems. What happens is that these people’s brains get exhausted and they can’t think straight anymore. They get overwhelmed by their problems and the only sensible thing left to do is to take their own lives which is a tell sign that their brains have reached their limits.
So, where does the police get the audacity to arrest such a person. I believe you heard the news when our police force arrested 17 years old Mustapha Lule who jumped off Mabirizi complex in an attempt to take away his life. And to justify his arrest, police cited section 210 of the Penal Code Act which provides that any person who attempts to kill himself commits a misdemeanor.
Isn’t this a tactless and insensitive effort? Yes, I too don’t support suicide given it will never be a solution to one’s problems but shouldn’t we consider the underlying factors that caused this person to attempt such an abomination. It’s not like in trying to end their lives, they hurt other people as well. The harm is meant for themselves. Isn’t this enough to show that this person needs help and not prison.
Experts believe Suicide is a desperate attempt to escape suffering that has become unbearable. They disclose that blinded by feelings of self-loathing, hopelessness, and isolation, a suicidal person can’t see any way of finding relief except through death. But despite their desire for the pain to stop, most suicidal people are deeply conflicted about ending their own lives. They wish there was an alternative to committing suicide, but just can’t see one.
With such a mindset, what really can the police achieve by arresting such a person?
Isnt it self defeating to arrest such a person for condemnatin instead of offering a shoulder for one to lean on? Such people should actually be best placed in a mental assyum rather than in a Police Cell. Thats the way I see it.
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