Suicide occurs very frequently throughout the world and is the second leading cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds. The World Health Organisation estimates that each year approximately one million people die from suicide, which represents a global mortality rate of 16 people per 100,000 or one death every 40 seconds. According to WHO, India is ranked 21st among the list of countries with most suicides, having a total suicide rate of 16.3% that is to say a total of 2,20,481 per year.

According to experts, suicide can be categorised into 4 broad types:

Egoistic – When an individual becomes socially isolated or feels he has no place in the society.

Altruistic – This type of suicide results from over integration of an individual into social proof.

Anomic – This type of suicide is due to certain breakdown of social equilibrium.

Fatalistic – This type of suicide is due to over-regulation in society. The World Health Organisation defines this suicidal act “as the injury with varying degrees of lethal intent and suicide may be defined as a suicidal act with fatal outcome.”