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13 suicides in 2 months

Djamila

Bosnjakinja
selamki8.jpg


I've rarely seen such in-depth coverage of suicides so I'll share it here. I'd like us to discuss and compare why people commit suicide in various cultures and what can be done to prevent it.

The town of Prijedor in northern Bosnia has suffered 22 suicides in the past year, 13 in the past 2 months alone. Here is a brief amount of information provided about each incident:

1. Augustina Andjevic, 42, Roman Catholic. Married, with three children. Recent changes: Lost vision due to diabetes complications.

2. Petar Mandic, 57, Orthodox Christian. Divorced, no children. Recent changes: Lost his job.

3. Jasmina Horlovic, 16, Muslim. Unmarried, no children. Recent changes: Autopsy revealed girl was 4-months pregnant and just beginning to show.

4. Jasmina Vrancic, 82, Muslim. Married (husband deceased), 11 children. Recent changes: Husband's body recovered from mass grave.

5. Helena Sakic, 28, Roman Catholic. Unmarried, no children. Recent changes: Suffered burns to face and arms in industrial accident.

6. Ivan Hrvatin, 77, Roman Catholic. Married (wife deceased), 9 children. Recent changes: Deterioration of general health due to cancer.

7. Besima Halilovic, 21, Muslim. Married, no children. Recent changes: None known.

8. Sabrina Kovacevic, 36, Muslim. Married, one child. Recent changes: Increased symptoms of war-related post-traumatic stress disorder, diagnosed by a psychologist.

9. Ismet Kos, 54, Muslim. Married, four children. Recent changes: None known.

10. Kristina Babic, 17, Roman Catholic. Unmarried, no children. Recent changes: Parents divorced.

11. Jelena Jelenovic, 13, Orthodox Christian. Unmarried, no children. Recent changes: Transferred schools.

12. Hasima Ceric, 68, Muslim. Married (husband deceased), two children. Recent changes: None known.

13. Branka Petrovic, 45, Orthodox Christian. Married, no children. Recent changes: An extra-marital affair, on her part, became known to husband and extended family.

It's so strange to see such things. Normally they just mention that a person has committed suicide and they never really go in-depth into possible reasons why. But this number is extraordinarily high, so the coverage has been different.

Do you think the "recent changes" make any sense as to why a person would commit suicide? What are common reasons you're aware of in your culture? What can be done to prevent suicide?
 

Bishka

Veteran Member
Djamila said:
Do you think the "recent changes" make any sense as to why a person would commit suicide? What are common reasons you're aware of in your culture? What can be done to prevent suicide?

Suicide is always such a horrible even in life, and it's hard to understand why people would want to take their own life at times.The assumption about recent changes could defintley be a factor in why they decided to end their lives, when peoples lives change (usually for the worst), sometimes they cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.

What can be done to prevent suicide? Listening. That is a huge one, listen and care. Just don't prescribe some method to feeling better. Always been there for them. If I would have had just someone there for me, instead of someone telling me to 'smile and you'll feel better', I probably wouldn't have tried to end my life. We should also be aware of the 'at-risk' groups. Teenagers, people with depression and major changes in their lives. This is one of my causes in life, mostly because I've experienced it first-hand.
 

Buttercup

Veteran Member
That's such a huge question, Mila that I'm afraid there is no set in stone answer as to the reasons why a population of people commit suicide. Reasons for suicide would vary as widely as cultures do.

I wonder about cultural norms in Bosnia though. From the months I've known you on RF it seems that quite a bit of expectation is placed on perfection in your country. Pressure to have....perfect looks, perfect physical features (no abnormalities), perfect mental wellness, perfect marital status and so on.

Do you think this expected societal perfection could have anything to do with it?
 

Djamila

Bosnjakinja
Buttercup said:
That's such a huge question, Mila that I'm afraid there is no set in stone answer as to the reasons why a population of people commit suicide. Reasons for suicide would vary as widely as cultures do.

I wonder about cultural norms in Bosnia though. From the months I've known you on RF it seems that quite a bit of expectation is placed on perfection in your country. Pressure to have....perfect looks, perfect physical features (no abnormalities), perfect mental wellness, perfect marital status and so on.

Do you think this expected societal perfection could have anything to do with it?

I don't know. I think the war is a bigger factor... the statistics Doppleganger shared offer an insight though.

YUGOSLAVIA: 30.8 suicides per 100,000 in 1990 (The term Yugoslavia includes Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia).

In 1991, Bosnia and Herzegovina accounted for 23.6 suicides per 100,000 people. That's almost a lot of Yugoslavia's 1990 combined total, and the total in 1991 wouldn't have been that different.

Slovenia and Croatia both have statistics collected after the war, which is very important. Look at the jump:

Slovenia: 60.7 suicides per 100,000 in 1999, four years after the war ended.

Croatia: 43.2 suicides per 100,000 in 2000, give years after.

Bosnia's would be much higher, I'm sure, if it was available.
 

Djamila

Bosnjakinja
Djamila said:
In 1991, Bosnia and Herzegovina accounted for 23.6 suicides per 100,000 people. That's almost a lot of Yugoslavia's 1990 combined total, and the total in 1991 wouldn't have been that different.

Oh, sorry. Doesn't work that way per capita. That means Bosnia was below average in Yugoslavia, then. Well, I'd still bet it's much higher now.
 

Buttercup

Veteran Member
Djamila said:
Oh, sorry. Doesn't work that way per capita. That means Bosnia was below average in Yugoslavia, then. Well, I'd still bet it's much higher now.
You think the war had an affect that drastic on the 13, 16, 17 & 21 year olds?
 

Djamila

Bosnjakinja
Buttercup said:
You think the war had an affect that drastic on the 13, 16, 17 & 21 year olds?

13 - Directly, no; through family, yes.
16 - Directly, possibly through stunted growth; through family, yes.
17 - Same as 16.
21 - Directly, yes; through family, yes.
 

tmaromine

Member
I'd say war is a factor in some cases, especially when it is occuring near where one lives. But I also must say that for the 13 year old, it could have just simply been school.

Two years ago my family and I moved, and I went to a different school (and got moved up a grade, since I was really that grade's average age due to my starting school a year later.), and I really just didn't like it. To this day I don't know if I have found the exact reason for why I didn't like it, but I do remember that I didn't really think about suicide. I did make a few good friends there, and all of the teachers were good. But I just didn't like it...

I guess some things simply bother people at such a high level mentally and personally. It'd be nice if something could be done to prevent it, but it seems like unless it's because of something like war or dictator, it simply depends on the person's well-being.
 

EiNsTeiN

Boo-h!
I think attempting suicide is a moment of blindness...
I can't imagine this moment, untill now!!
Even the most depressing thing that happend to me didnt let me through this experiance...
 

Buttercup

Veteran Member
Djamila said:
13 - Directly, no; through family, yes.
16 - Directly, possibly through stunted growth; through family, yes.
17 - Same as 16.
21 - Directly, yes; through family, yes.

I guess it's hard to know exactly why psychologically the rate is so high in this city and I agree with you that the war may still have lingering effects on many people, and will continue to do so for a long while yet.

But, I was mostly trying to look at the problem from a different angle because the ratio is so much higher in this city. And that leads to the question of "why"? What is going on in Prijedor that cannot be solved through other means?

Does Bosnia have a good socialized method to deal with depression? Do you have suicide hotlines? Is it considered shameful to be depressed and seek help? Is taking antidepressants shameful or are they not readily available?
 

Djamila

Bosnjakinja
Well, Prijedor was completely destroyed during the war and all Muslims and Roman Catholics were driven away. There were 23 concentration and death camps surrounding the municipality and a Roman Catholic or Muslim in Prijedor had one of the lowest chances of survival of any community in Bosnia.

Muslim districts, including the entire, historic central area of Prijedor, were bulldozed and the rubble moved away. These areas were turned into green spaces - lawns, city parks, that sort of thing.

Survivors only began returning in 1995, when the war was over. Prijedor has the highest percentage of recognized war criminals in the population. Roman Catholic and Muslim residents bump into the people who tortured them or killed their loved ones every day.

The first Mosque and Roman Catholic Church rebuilt in Prijedor were rebuilt only a few years ago.

So it's just... that's the kind of situation there.
 

dawny0826

Mother Heathen
I think that the recent changes no doubt could have been motivation to end their lives but in my opinion, they weren't JUSTIFICATION for ending their lives.

In American culture, I'm sure people end their lives for many similar reasons as well as depressive disorders and genuine mental illness.

My Aunt June comitted suicide and it's something that still haunts me. She was an incredible woman that I loved so very much. She was married to a husband who adored her. She had beautiful children and beautiful grandchildren. She had many nieces and nephews and she was a very loved and appreciated woman.

She suffered from manic depression and was taking medication for it. She was also an alcoholic. Unfortunately,
 

Buttercup

Veteran Member
Djamila said:
Well, Prijedor was completely destroyed during the war and all Muslims and Roman Catholics were driven away. There were 23 concentration and death camps surrounding the municipality and a Roman Catholic or Muslim in Prijedor had one of the lowest chances of survival of any community in Bosnia.

Muslim districts, including the entire, historic central area of Prijedor, were bulldozed and the rubble moved away. These areas were turned into green spaces - lawns, city parks, that sort of thing.

Survivors only began returning in 1995, when the war was over. Prijedor has the highest percentage of recognized war criminals in the population. Roman Catholic and Muslim residents bump into the people who tortured them or killed their loved ones every day.

The first Mosque and Roman Catholic Church rebuilt in Prijedor were rebuilt only a few years ago.

So it's just... that's the kind of situation there.

UGH! That's all so awful, Mila. In a country your size what happened in Prijedor affects many more people than just the citizens within it's boundaries. It's no surprise to me now that you've given more information as to why the suicide rate is high there. War is hell. I'm sorry it's still so hard.
 

michel

Administrator Emeritus
Staff member
Djamila said:
I've rarely seen such in-depth coverage of suicides so I'll share it here. I'd like us to discuss and compare why people commit suicide in various cultures and what can be done to prevent it.


The town of Prijedor in northern Bosnia has suffered 22 suicides in the past year, 13 in the past 2 months alone. Here is a brief amount of information provided about each incident:


1. Augustina Andjevic, 42, Roman Catholic. Married, with three children. Recent changes: Lost vision due to diabetes complications.


2. Petar Mandic, 57, Orthodox Christian. Divorced, no children. Recent changes: Lost his job.


3. Jasmina Horlovic, 16, Muslim. Unmarried, no children. Recent changes: Autopsy revealed girl was 4-months pregnant and just beginning to show.


4. Jasmina Vrancic, 82, Muslim. Married (husband deceased), 11 children. Recent changes: Husband's body recovered from mass grave.


5. Helena Sakic, 28, Roman Catholic. Unmarried, no children. Recent changes: Suffered burns to face and arms in industrial accident.


6. Ivan Hrvatin, 77, Roman Catholic. Married (wife deceased), 9 children. Recent changes: Deterioration of general health due to cancer.


7. Besima Halilovic, 21, Muslim. Married, no children. Recent changes: None known.


8. Sabrina Kovacevic, 36, Muslim. Married, one child. Recent changes: Increased symptoms of war-related post-traumatic stress disorder, diagnosed by a psychologist.


9. Ismet Kos, 54, Muslim. Married, four children. Recent changes: None known.


10. Kristina Babic, 17, Roman Catholic. Unmarried, no children. Recent changes: Parents divorced.


11. Jelena Jelenovic, 13, Orthodox Christian. Unmarried, no children. Recent changes: Transferred schools.


12. Hasima Ceric, 68, Muslim. Married (husband deceased), two children. Recent changes: None known.


13. Branka Petrovic, 45, Orthodox Christian. Married, no children. Recent changes: An extra-marital affair, on her part, became known to husband and extended family.


It's so strange to see such things. Normally they just mention that a person has committed suicide and they never really go in-depth into possible reasons why. But this number is extraordinarily high, so the coverage has been different.


Do you think the "recent changes" make any sense as to why a person would commit suicide? What are common reasons you're aware of in your culture? What can be done to prevent suicide?

The reasons for suicide are so wide ranging, I think it is impossible to attribute them without knowing the person properly. The "recent" events that you have quoted above happen to other people, and yet they cope.

Those same events may have been "The straw that broke the camel's back" though, and certainly the shock of war must have put a dreadfull stress on those people.

beckysoup61 said:
What can be done to prevent suicide? Listening. That is a huge one, listen and care. Just don't prescribe some method to feeling better. Always been there for them. If I would have had just someone there for me, instead of someone telling me to 'smile and you'll feel better', I probably wouldn't have tried to end my life. We should also be aware of the 'at-risk' groups. Teenagers, people with depression and major changes in their lives. This is one of my causes in life, mostly because I've experienced it first-hand.

You hit the nail on the head there, Becky..and are so right in your advice not to offer a method to "get better"; the best anyone can do is patiently listen to the person, and, by conversation, make them mentally explore other options to make whatever the cause is less awful.

I thought I had found a parallel to The Samaritans for europe with http://www.samaritansbg.com/samaritans_new/?page=11 , but was disappointed to read that they are a religious based organization.

The British version is non-denominational (which means that non-Christians don't think they are going to be preached to).........

I would, in all honesty, love to see the British version spread world wide - I heve twice been a volunteer (for a two year stint each time)..it seems to me that the way we run it here is all so embracing and neutral that it lets many get in touch who would never normally do so.. From the elderly lady who can't sleep, because she is afraid of the thunder outside, to the 14 year old girl who is phoning from a phone box, because she has just found out that she is pregnant...
 
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