Suicide among emerging adults in India has emerged as a major challenge for the public health policy. According to the recent (August 28, 2024) data presented by The National Crime Records Bureau, India, suicide cases among emerging adults have increased annually by 4% which is much higher than the previous annual increase of 2% despite a likely "under reporting". This alarming increase in suicide rates among emerging adults which surpasses country's population growth is alarming and thus needs through investigation of the causes behind suicide among this population and possible intervention. It is expected that a comprehensive understanding of the issues is crucial in Indian context to design targeted interventions.
Using a semi-structured interviews of 6 suicide survivors and 12 normal emerging adults having similar psycho-social characteristics, the present study aimed an in-depth exploration of their experiences, capturing the essence of their challenges, coping strategies, attitudes, awareness and the continuum of emotions they navigate in their lives and how all these affect their mental health.
Adopting Braun and Clarke method, the for thematic analysis of the interviews highlighted key themes of increasing expectations from family and society, educational challenges, lack of informational and social support, cognitive and emotional barriers, lack of awareness about mental health issues, and systemic barriers in accessing mental health support. Coping mechanism and help seeking behaviour were two important themes highlighted by non-suicidal emerging adults in dealing with suicidal thoughts.
These results are important as highlight the importance of the oscillations between societal expectation, academic challenges, and pressure to perform well in recognising and addressing suicidal issues among emerging adults and highlights a critical gap in mental health support system tailored to their needs. These results also underscore the urgent need for a multifaceted approach to cater to the problems of suicide among Indian emerging adults.