First COVID-19 suicide case in Bangladesh due to fear of COVID-19 and xenophobia: Possible suicide prevention strategies

17, November 2020 | Bangladesh

Authors:

Abstract

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a global concern. Healthcare systems in many countries have been pu- shed to breaking point in an attempt to deal with the pandemic. At present, there is no accurate estimation about how long the COVID-19 situation will persist, the number of individuals worldwide who will be infected, or how long people’s lives will be disrupted (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, 2020; Zandifar and Badrfam, 2020). Like previous epidemics and pandemics, the unpredictable con- sequences and uncertainty surrounding public safety, as well as mis- information about COVID-19 (particularly on social media) can often impact individuals’ mental health including depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress (Cheung et al., 2008; Zandifar and Badrfam, 2020). Additionally, pandemic-related issues such as social distancing, isolation and quarantine, as well as the social and economic fallout can also trigger psychological mediators such as sadness, worry, fear, anger, annoyance, frustration, guilt, helplessness, loneliness, and nervousness. These are the common features of typical mental health suffering that many individuals will experience during and after the crisis (Ahorsu et al., 2020; Banerjee, 2020; Cheung et al., 2008; Xiang et al., 2020). In extreme cases, such mental health issues can lead to suicidal behaviors (e.g., suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and actual suicide). It is well stablished that around 90 % of global suicides are due to individuals with mental health conditions such as depression (Mamun and Griffiths, 2020). Similar situations have been reported in previous pandemics. For example, the suicide rate among elderly people increased in Hong Kong both during and after the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syn- drome) pandemic in 2003 (Cheung et al., 2008).