Time To Bring Change! Suicide Data Of Indian Housewives Raises Alarm About Their Mental Health State

The existence of housewives in contemporary society comes up with several responsibilities. Everything is scheduled, from duties at home which include cleaning, cooking, and taking care of a family, to duties outside the home. Many women continue the same workflow without realising its impact on their mental health.

Being a homemaker is not easy, but housewives make it look easy. The burden of work, in addition to social responsibility, weighs them down with time. Many women keep their desires on the back burner and serve the family's needs. It's time to acknowledge the same and support the housewives.

According to a report published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), housewives account for over 50 per cent of the total female suicide victims (23,179 out of 45,026). The Indian housewives take the burden of 14.1 per cent of total victims who dies by suicide (23,179 out of 1,64,033).

The data by NCRB raises the alarm to look after the mental health state of housewives. As they spend most of their time caring for husbands, in-laws, siblings, parents, children and many others, they rarely have time to look after themselves. Self-care is a crucial part of life that can't be ignored.

What Expert Has To Say?

The world has already given a cap to the housewives, named 'Superwomen,' as they carry the invisible weight of expectations. Many argue that calling housewives Superwomen often promotes how they do the work, motivating them to keep doing it. It raises the alarm not only for a woman but for the entire society to look after housewives and their mental health state.

A clinical psychologist, Dr Prachi Verma, while talking with The Logical Indian, said, "Women are expected to handle social pressures, problems, children, and the family. The day-to-day functioning of their life and the burden of responsibility often lands them in a state of mental health disorder. Women should start prioritising their mental health, and their family should support them to make it happen."

Factors That Impact Mental Health

Several factors affect the mental health of housewives, and gender-based violence is one among all. It severely impacts their psychological health, as much as it becomes harsh for them to handle it alone. Such violence develops several health-related problems among women, including depression, anxiety, fear, and trauma.

In most cases, housewives develop suicidal behaviours after failing to deal with violence, societal pressure, and hidden responsibilities. In a research published by the Indian Journal of Medical Research, on about 10,000 women, 26 per cent reported having experienced physical violence from spouses during their lifetime. The data can reach higher marks as many cases are not reported.

In recent years, women have also been urged to speak up instead of silently suffering the pain. However, many women feel guilt, shame, discomfort and hesitation while sharing their experiences of mental health disorders. It's time for women to open up and speak openly without any notion of being judged by society.

Prioritising mental health and support from family are the two essential pillars for any housewives to deal efficiently with their mental health problems. Women should look after the symptoms of poor mental health conditions like less sleep, more stress, and others to deal with an appropriate solution. Society should stand as a support system instead of being a critic of their conditions.

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