ZEYNEP AKGÜL

Ankara- Therapist Sevgi Türkmen underlines that suicides will continue by diversifying due to the ongoing psychological status of the society. She expresses that citizens can overcome this situation when they don’t feel they are alone. Stating that the ruling power never wants to see suicide cases at any time and it is looking for the reasons of suicide in those who committed suicide instead of looking for it in itself, “Therefore, the ruling power starts to claim that the person who committed suicide has psychological problems instead of discussing the real reasons for suicides. If the real reasons are discussed, the ruling power will also have to take responsibility for suicides. We interview Sevgi Türkmen about suicides and the impact of the state on suicide cases in recent years in Turkey.

· Popularizing the reasons for suicides to only the psychology of the individual is another way to deadlock. When we look at the reasons for suicidal behavior, not only financial trouble but also the loneliness of modern life are the reasons. We see people, who cannot pay their loans, find a job, take care of their families, and who face evictions. Besides that, we also see people's feelings of isolation, alienation, aloneness, and loneliness due to modern life. Do you think it is correct to explain the reason for recent suicide cases only with the economic crisis?

There isn’t a reason for the recent suicide cases. However, economic reasons are important in increasing suicides; because the economy is determinative of all human existence. Your economic conditions determine your social environment, social participation, or political activities. But apart from economic conditions, social ruptures are also the reason. Besides economic reasons, psychological reasons should also be discussed. Because, when a person cannot pay house rent, the person thinks about committing suicide and it is not only about economic reason, but also deep loneliness and despair the person feels. In other words, if a person having debt has no choice but to commit suicide, it is not only about the economic issues but social issues.  

Suicide cases will increase!

·The most recently published statistical study on suicides was in 2018. The most suicide cases were in Istanbul (432), and then in Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, and Konya. According to a report prepared by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), eight people commit suicide every day. Why are suicide cases increasing?

One of the most important reasons for the increase in suicides is, of course, economic and social crises. People live with feelings of loneliness. Those who cannot find a job know that they can find a job if you know a “person” (having power). The poor people know that their children will never have a life that rich children have no matter how hard they work. Whatever women do, they cannot escape violence and death. So in such injustice and immoral period, we are struggling and we are alone. These may increase the sense of death rather than the sense of life. For this reason, unfortunately, suicides can continue to increase.

‘The ruling power wants to control people’s life and death’

·Why are suicide cases hidden?

The ruling power never wants to see suicide cases at any time and it is looking for the reasons of suicide in those who committed suicide instead of looking for it in itself; because suicide is also an uprising and opposition stance to the powers. And no power, regardless of its power, has been able to prevent suicide. For this reason, it feels weak against suicide. In other words, it wants to control people’s life and death. For instance, it doesn’t want the death row inmates to commit suicide. Therefore, the ruling power starts to claim that the person who committed suicide has psychological problems instead of discussing the real reasons for suicide cases.  If the real reasons are discussed, the ruling power will also have to take responsibility for suicides.