UAE | General

Support system at home prevents suicides - expert

Friends and family members are vital in preventing suicides related to the economic downturn and are best placed to affirm to loved ones that they serve a bigger role than the money they bring in.

  • By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:42 January 13, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Director-General Brigadier Humaid Al Hadaidi has said that police were expecting a rise in suicide cases as the effects of the economic crisis trickle down.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News archive

Sharjah: Friends and family members are vital in preventing suicides related to the economic downturn and are best placed to affirm to loved ones that they serve a bigger role than the money they bring in.

"Family and friends can help them [stressed-out individuals] re-establish and redefine their goals in life and get them to realise that, if they have tasted success before, they have the capabilities to achieve it again despite the obstacles," says Dr Raymond Hamden, a clinical and forensic psychologist with the Human Relations Institute in Dubai.

"Families should come together during this time so that they can help their loved ones refocus on their potential and redefine what is valuable, such as reconnecting with friends and re-establishing their spiritual belief," he said.

The credit crunch has caused hundreds of employees to lose their jobs and left many in debt.

Dr Hamden pointed out that some of the tell-tale signs that a loved one may be having suicidal thoughts are when they either talk about killing themselves, display reckless behaviour, or start showing family members details of how the business or the household is being run.

Brigadier Humaid Al Hadaidi, Director-General of Sharjah Police, recently stated that police were expecting a rise in suicides as the economic crisis bit in.

Rise in crime

The most recent victim of the financial meltdown was that of a businessman who committed suicide last Wednesday by decapitating himself with an electric saw.

Brigadier Al Hadaidi also stressed that theft cases were expected to rise and that police were employing new strategies to curb crime, such as deploying undercover sleuths in residential areas to monitor any suspicious activity.

Referring to the increasing number of gangs arrested for stealing cars and smuggling them out of the country, he said such incidents necessitated the cooperation of police departments across the country.

"Car thefts are not limited only to Sharjah but being reported from other emirates as well. In the last year, the number of complaints of stolen vehicles has dropped by 80 per cent," he said.

Sharjah Police are also focussing on road accidents involving children driving quad bikes.

To reduce the number of such fatalities, police are distributing pamphlets to all homes under the "Knowledge without Borders" campaign.

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