Cases of suicide have been rampant in various countries including Aceh (Indonesia) recently, especially affecting the younger generation. This incident was almost unimaginable in the past to happen here, in the land of Aceh which is known to be thick with Islamic sharia values even without having to be legalized in regulations.
For people who live by Islamic values, suicide is a major sin that cannot be forgiven. No matter how severe the suffering is, such as the devastating earthquake and tsunami that claimed lives and property in a tragic manner, suicide is not the solution.
The increasing cases of suicide in Aceh recently need to be analyzed from various approaches, not just a matter of religiosity alone. There is a problem of mental health in the community that is disturbed by various causes, so a complex approach is needed to solve the problem.
This is among others the view of a clinical psychologist at the Aceh Mental Hospital and a psychology lecturer at the Muhammadiyah University of Aceh, Devianti, M.Psi, Psychologist. According to him, suicide cases cannot be directly linked to the level of faith, but are also related to a person's mental toughness, in addition to the victim's living environment.
The increasing number of suicide cases must be a concern for all parties, especially the government. This phenomenon must be addressed wisely by inviting the involvement of clerics, academics, heads of families, and especially vulnerable groups to develop sustainable prevention and response programs.
The family is the main pillar in avoiding mental health problems. External causes such as bullying at school or work or anywhere, will not have fatal consequences like suicide. Every victim already has an automatic defense system so that every decision taken is based on many considerations.
Parents must now care more about their children's mental health. Communication between parents and children is an important aspect in knowing the crucial problems of children.
The heaven that children get at home, they usually also bring to social interactions. Likewise with their hell.
After family protection, social also greatly determines children's mental health. An environment that is conducive to children's mental health is very important when they are faced with the complexity of problems in the digital era.
Japan, which is known for its high suicide rate, has long introduced the Society 5.0 program, a community environment that focuses on solving various social problems by utilizing integrated data and technology in cyberspace and physical space.
People no longer need to worry about work, households, the lack of public facilities, and difficult bureaucracy. All of these problems can be overcome by integrating public and private facilities into systems and technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence, and big data.
Indonesia certainly cannot adopt such a program amidst various obstacles and accessibility of society to technology. However, for the teenage class who are already familiar with digital technology, counseling programs that optimize technology can be implemented starting now.
In addition to technological issues, differences in social and cultural life must also be considered so that various suicide prevention programs abroad cannot be immediately applied in Indonesia, especially in Aceh. There must be adjustments to social life, culture, technology, education, and religious life.[]
