Professor of Forensic Pathology and Consultant Histopathologist, Dr. Paul Ossei Sampene has hinted that movies are becoming a major contributory factor to the increasing rate of suicide cases in Ghana.

He said the acts in movies teach people easy ways to commit suicide.

According to him, some of the suicidal actions in the movies seek to inform people in a different manner but the message tends not to sit well with viewers.

“With this advent of African movies, people also have seen how easy to commit suicide, especially the adolescents who are usually glued to some of these things and they don’t understand that some of these things that they do are trying to show us probably something but of course the presentation is not well given to us,” he explained on Joy Prime’s morning show.

Additionally, he thinks the current trend of telenovelas where people are seen hanging, self-shooting and using sharp instruments to cut parts of their bodies also reveals some quick methods of committing suicide.

Not only movies but also westernization he said is another reason people are becoming engrossed in suicide.

The Pathologist added that because most young people are very much engaged in social media and internet activities, they try to imitate some unusual activities when found in similar situations.

“Westernisation does not only sort of put stress on the young adults but rather it shows them how to commit suicide and these days internet and mobile phone availability is also causing it because sometimes you’ll be sitting at the comfort of your home and somebody will send you something that seeks to portray how to commit suicide. In fact, the Westerners are fun of committing suicide with the least provocation.”

Furthermore, Prof. Dr Paul pointed out that the increasing rate of stigmatisation is also a major cause of suicide cases.

According to him, some of the victims of stigma consider suicide as the best solution to end everything.

However, the Histopathologist has noted people to beware revealing that some suicide cases are disguised killings.

He said, “There are some people who can kill and disguise it in a manner that if you’re not a pathologist or an expert, you may think that whoever is hanging on the ceiling, tree or any other place is one who has committed suicide.”