The repercussions of four young people losing their lives after shooting a video together in Manisa continue. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that the underlying causes need to be analyzed correctly, warned families that “even jokes about suicide must be taken seriously.” Making important evaluations regarding mass suicide cases, Tarhan stated that steps should be taken to speak the same language as young people and meet their expectations.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, made evaluations regarding the suicide incident of four young people who ended their lives after shooting a video together in Manisa.
They Turn to Suicide with Illogical Decisions
Noting that mass suicides stem from two types of causes, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “Individuals, under the influence of substance use, can make a rational, quick decision without thinking about the consequences and take action. In the recent incidents, the effect of substances is being investigated. They seem to be individuals turning to suicide due to an existential crisis rather than substance influence. Currently, many suicides occur in Western societies. In such situations, there isn't always a very severe depression or crisis in the background. They become unhappy, losing all expectations for the future. With thoughts like 'why am I living?', they conclude that it would be better to die because their existential reasons cease to exist, as they cannot achieve many of their goals, have no dreams, and lose their sense of hope,” he said.
The Roots Must Be Analyzed
Stating that the four young people who committed suicide together made a serious decision and plan, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan continued his words as follows:
“The cause of this incident needs to be found. It is evident that the young people prepared for suicide. The father of the young person who owned the gun is a merchant, so they do not seem to be a family experiencing poverty. From a social life perspective, they can be said to be a middle-class family. They also do not seem to have a psychiatric history. Schizophrenic patients do this, but usually such mass suicides occur in destructive religious groups. From the statements in the video they left behind, it is understood that there is no such situation either. The lives and backgrounds of the young people need to be investigated. The current incident is a phenomenon indicating that such suicides can now occur in Turkey. In this phenomenon, the roots must be analyzed. When the roots are analyzed, the cause will be found.”
Pay Attention to Clues Related to Suicide!
Stating that the causes related to suicide need to be researched and examined, psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “Were the young people suffering from loneliness, was there exclusion and rejection beneath their constant togetherness, or did they experience an existential crisis? All these need to be researched and examined. A decision can be made based on the outcome. Families should take it seriously even if young people joke about suicide. Young people who commit suicide must have given a clue beforehand. They would have expressed it jokingly. I wonder if their first-degree relatives could have sensed that they would do such a thing. Some information can be obtained from their friends who are currently soldiers in Idlib. We need to answer the question of what mothers and fathers should do to prevent such cases from becoming widespread in Turkey,” he said.
Feeling Worthless Leads to Traumas
Pointing to the importance of understanding young people, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, “In some cases, there can also be honor suicides. They see death as a better option, thinking they are living without honor. Even if they joke about suicide, it should be taken seriously without panicking. Psychological help can be provided to young people. They should be able to open up to a third person outside the family. They cannot talk to their mother and father and get caught up in the idea that no one loves them. Breaking their honor, humiliation, and being belittled in front of others is disrespectful to their personalities. A young person experiences trauma when they feel they are not valued. Whether these young people have traumatic lives is important,” he said.
Youth Policy Should Be Conducted Through Culture
Stating that suicide incidents are common among young people in European countries, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that the same language must be spoken with young people to prevent similar incidents in our country, and said the following:
“In the Netherlands, train services stopped for half an hour because a young person jumped in front of a train. After the pandemic, suicides increased proportionally in Finland. Senior officials responsible for security in Turkey stated that suicide cases have also begun to appear in our country. We must speak the same language as young people. In Turkey, decision-makers and those implementing policies need to speak the same language as young people. They are slipping away from us; this kind of death does not suit our youth. A youth policy should be conducted through culture. Our young people have expectations such as freedom, justice, equality, peace, and feeling secure about their future. Unless their expectations are addressed, young people can feel excluded and worthless.”