If an impulsive suicidal ideation has an element of
obsession then it requires an early diagnosis to prevent suicide and not blame
the person on whom the victim is obsessive.
Obsession is a disease and needs to be treated. Suicidal
thoughts at some point occur in as many as 50% of the patients with impulsive
compulsive obsession. Suicide attempts are reported in 25% of individuals with
OCD. Presence of co-morbid depressive disorders increases the risk of suicidal
attempts.
It appeared from the media reports that Jiah was suffering
from both - underlying depression with OCD.
Obsessions are defined as recurrent and persistent
thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced at some time during the
disturbances as intrusive and inappropriate and with marked anxiety or
distress. Compulsions are defined as repeated behavior or mental act of the
person drawn to perform in response to the obsession or according to rule that
must be applied rigidly.
While giving the bail, Justice Sadhna said – “No doubt
that it was an unfortunate incident that the young girl has committed suicide,
she (Jiah) must have been impulsive and he (Suraj) cannot be solely responsible
for it”.
Justice Sadhna said that “unless there is that
element of intention or motive (mens rea),
a person cannot be responsible for the act. The very fact that she had suicidal
tendency and earlier also had attempted suicide, she obviously was a
patient of underlying depression.”
If Suraj was responsible, then equally responsible were
the doctors who treated her in the first incidence for suicidal attempt; family
members who knew about the suicidal attempts as well as the society who helped
her in coming out of depression and not disclosing it to her parents.
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