Dr. Mahbubur Rahman. Photo : BSS

By Borun Kumar Dash and Abdur Rauf

DHAKA, Nov 12, 2025 (BSS)- Awareness and mental support as well as education people can create positive mental development of youths preventing suicidal spree in the society.

Talking to BSS Director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital Dr. Mahbubur Rahman said suicide tendency has now become a serious social disorder in the society. 

“Raising public awareness through social media campaign, educating people about mental health and fostering a culture of standing beside the mentally distressed people can significantly reduce the tendency,” he said.

“Just as like as physical body, mental health can also fall sick. Therefore, mental health should not be neglected,” he said. 

One should consult a doctor whenever facing any problem relating to mental chaos. If a family member suffers from mental issues, they should be cared for and supported rather than ignored, he noted.

Dr Mahbub said every year, some 12,000 to 14,000 people commit suicide in Bangladesh. If everyone becomes aware, many of the deaths could be prevented.

He said mental health treatment in Bangladesh is now much more accessible. The family plays the most crucial role in ensuring that a mental health patient does not gradually move toward suicide. Media, too, can play a role in preventing suicide, he said.

Terming the suicidal incidents as the second leading cause of death after road accident in the country, Dr Mahbub said the suicidal tendency is higher among girls aged 15-17 years and boys aged 18–24 years. The rate is also higher in rural areas, where unemployment is a major factor. 

Dr. Mahbub emphasized that family awareness is vital to prevent suicide. Many parents don’t know how to behave with their children during teenage years.

Domestic conflicts, parental quarrels, belittling or comparing children with others are some factors which negatively affect teenagers, causing them to lose confidence. 

Family members and close friends can usually detect such signs. Talking openly and offering emotional support to deal with the situation associated with unbearable emotional pain, mental health and crushing stressors can prevent such self-inflicted injury.

He said mental illness is increasing alarmingly in the society due to excessive mobile and internet use, economic pressure and social degradation.

Family conflicts, unemployment, negligence in the family and workplaces, anxiety over children, breakdown of joint families are also causes of the social disorder. 

Drug addiction, overdependence on technology, irregular lifestyles, chaos, stress, workplace competition, frustration, greed, and lack of justice are driving people into depression. The causes are not limited to Bangladesh, but a global phenomenon, he said.

Regarding the need for more specialized hospitals for mental health treatment, he said, mental health treatment is generally done in two ways- through medication and psychotherapy. 

Psychotherapy is essential for all patients, but in our country, we tend to focus more on medicines. The good news is that nearly all psychiatric medicines are now produced in Bangladesh, and they are quite affordable.

He however acknowledged that the country’s mental healthcare infrastructure is still limited. One in every five people suffers from mental illness; meaning about 30 million people in the country have some sort of mental illness.

“Yet, there is only one specialized institute in Dhaka and one centre in Pabna- with just about 1,000 beds combined. This is far from sufficient. Establishing modern mental health hospitals in other divisions is essential,” he opined.

Dr Mahbub observed that parents must limit their children’s use of technology to protect their mental health. Children’s mental well-being must not be neglected. 

He said every child is an independent individual with their own capacity for emotional development and stress management. 

Signs of mental stress often appear through behavioural changes such as reluctance to attend school, social withdrawal, sleep disturbances, or sudden anger and mood swings, he said adding that guardians must take care of those situation.

Finally, Dr. Mahbub urged people to stay stress-free, saying everybody should reduce screen time, maintain a proper sleep schedule and strengthen family and social bonds to remain healthy mentally.

Parents should encourage their children for outdoor play, creative activities and passing quality family time to support development of children’s positive emotion.