Suicide is a big problem in India, with 1,31,666 people having committed suicide in the country in 2014, according to the National Crime Records Bureau data,. To put that in perspective, NCRB said 15 suicides took place every one hour during the same year. The report found that cities had an overall higher suicide rate than the rest of the country. Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi city and Mumbai together accounted for almost 37% of the total suicides in these cities.
Film actress Deepika Padukone, the founder of the The Live Love Laugh Foundation added that the foundation wants to reduce stigma and create awareness around mental health in India. Facebook on Tuesday said it has introduced updated tools and educational resources to help support people in India who may be struggling with self-injury or experiencing suicidal thoughts. The user tools come with a set rules and regulations which help in assessing the mental state of the people who shall be posting something on Facebook, which has to do with their well-being or report on Facebook.
Facebook has launched these updated tools in India in collaboration with local partners AASRA and The Live Love Laugh Foundation.
The major objective of this launch was to promote awareness about the rising suicidal problem which has caused a serious melodrama in the nation. Facebook is a medium for social networking, to connect with the people who matter to them and recognize there’s an opportunity with these tools and resources to connect someone who are struggling with a person they already have a relationship with.
We wish all the very best for their venture and hope you save a million lives.