Family problems cause most suicides in India

New Delhi, Mar 16: Altogether 7 per cent of suicides in India are attributable to mental illness, with the largest cause of suicide being family problems (23.8 per cent).

This was revealed by Union Health and Family Welfare minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The findings were based in the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

To detect and treat Depression and other Mental Illness, Government Mental Hospitals, Psychiatry Wings of Medical Colleges/ General Hospitals are run by the state Governments and Government of India, the minister said.

He added that licenses are also issued to Private Mental Hospitals/ Psychiatric Nursing Homes by the concerned licensing authorities of the State Governments to provide mental health services. Azad further informed that the Government of India is implementing National Mental Health Programme with the objectives of augmenting the mental health care capacity of the States/UTs detect and treat depression and other mental illness.