Meera, a 16-year-old student in Pune, has been quiet and withdrawn for some weeks. Her marks have fallen and she often misses school without any reason. She told a close friend that ending her life seems the only way out of her family's heavy debts. The school counsellor now meets her daily and has involved her parents. In the same district, after several such deaths, the administration has stopped the open sale of pesticides in village shops. Local newspapers have agreed to report such deaths with care, and local health workers are being trained to spot people at risk and help them.
Meera's wish to escape her family's debts by ending her life is suicidal behaviour. Such behaviour often indicates difficulties in which of the following?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Problem-solving, stress management and emotional expression
Option (1) Problem-solving, stress management and emotional expression — Correct. Meera sees ending her life as the only way out of the debts, so she cannot find another solution. The stress is too much for her, and she has turned quiet and withdrawn. Suicidal behaviour often shows difficulties in problem-solving, stress management and emotional expression.
Option (2) Thought processes, perception and motor activity — Incorrect. Disturbed thought processes, strange perceptions and motor abnormalities describe schizophrenia. Meera shows no delusions, hallucinations or odd movements.
Option (3) Attention, activity level and impulse control — Incorrect. Problems of attention, activity level and impulse control (inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity) mark ADHD, a disorder that begins in childhood. Meera's problem is about coping with distress.
Option (4) Keeping a steady mood between mania and depression — Incorrect. Moods swinging between mania and depression mark bipolar disorder. Meera shows no manic episode, only distress and withdrawal.
NCERT (2026-27): “Bipolar and Related Disorders … |