Suicide Number Increases by Three Times

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

The suicide number has increased in Kakheti. According to the statistics, for the last 6 months, 12 facts of suicide have been observed in the region. Mostly young people committed suicide. According to the psychologists, the increase of suicides is related to the severe social situation.

On April 4th, in the village Kondoli of the Telavi Region, 21-year-old boy committed suicide. The motive was named to be the family conflict.

On March 31st, 23-year-old male committed suicide by shotgun in the village Atskuri of Akhmeta Region. His body was found in the field near the house. According to one of the versions, he committed suicide due to owing a debt to the bank. According to the neighbors, he tried to commit suicide two weeks earlier as well. According to them, Giorgi served in the army and went to the Russian-Georgian war. After coming back, he often had stress.

On March 20th, Kvareli Police officer G. I-shvili attempted to commit suicide at his home by gun. He was wounded in the area of head. His health state is severe. According to the disseminated information, he attempted to commit suicide as a result of the conflict in the family. He has a wife and two little children.

On February 22nd, in the village Arashenda of Gurjaani Region 28-year-old Natia G-shvili expecting her second child committed suicide by hanging. Her body was found by the family members in the morning.

On the same day, 23-year-old Davit Ch-shvili committed suicide in the village Bakurtsikhe of Gurjaani Region. He was found hung in the forest of the resort “Akhtala.” According to the neighbors of the deceased, he gambled and had a debt.

Elene K-shvili, 11th grader from Telavi #4 Public School also committed suicide. She had taken large amounts of medications.

15-year-old Sh. Oderidze from Dedoplistskharo also committed suicide. She hung herself at home. According to the neighbors, her suicide is related to hard social-economic conditions of her family.

This is incomplete list of suicides committed in Kakheti for the last 6 months. Police filed criminal case on each abovementioned fact. On several cases, the investigation stopped because of the absence of the crime elements. Investigation on several cases is still underway.

Psychologist Ia Akhvlediani states that the suicides always occur in the transitional period that is directly related to the social situation. According to her, main causes of suicide are the mental disorder, stress and depression.

Psychologists think that if the situation does not change in the country and no positive signs of development are revealed, the aggression directed to one’s self will turn into the vengeance directed against others.

According to the statistics of the last 18 years, throughout 1990-2008, 53 000 people committed suicide in Georgia. The number of suicides increased the most in 2004. Later, this number decreased but started increasing again in 2007.

67 cases of suicide have been observed in 2008. As for the statistics of 2009, 183 people committed suicide, 149 out of which were men and 39 – women. The cases of suicide were more frequent among people above 20.