Surviving Attempted Suicide in the Indian Context-An Autoethnographic Account

Survivors of attempted suicide are often shamed and silenced with respect to their lived experiences, especially in certain societies where such behaviour is seen as taboo. Despite the phenomenon of suicide being recognised as deeply rooted in cultural narratives, limited qualitative work has focused on the experience from a subjective viewpoint and a phenomenological lens. Through this paper, I seek to provide a qualitative analysis of surviving a suicide attempt in the Indian context, using an autoethnographic approach to explore the emotional, psychological, and cultural aftermath of such experiences. The study addresses the lack of reflective research on suicide survivors in India, and focuses on the socio-cultural narratives, healthcare system interactions, and cultural expectations that shape survivors' experiences and recovery. Some of the themes that emerged from the data analysed included "missing early warning signs- the shift from passive to active suicidal ideation", "relief or despair on surviving? reactions of professionals and the hospital staff", "ignorance of the experience of survival- the role played by social stigma", and "desire to seek psychological first aid and barriers to the same". These themes are academically analysed in the context of existing cultural narratives and normative practices, thus highlighting the role of social contexts in such experiences. The paper aims to shed light on an important phenomenon and experience that is often ignored, and argues that cross-cultural research is an essential aspect of fully grasping personal experiences, like this one. The study has implications for mental health practitioners in terms of better assisting survivors of attempted suicide, via taking into account their cultural realities and settings as a part of the experiential and healing process.