As an indication of the growing problem of drug and alcohol addiction in India, governmental reports have revealed that the deaths by suicide attributed to drug abuse and alcohol addiction breached the 10,000 mark for the first time in 2021. According to the reports, more than one such suicide death is reported every hour on average. The 10,560 deaths reported across India in 2021 were 15% higher than the number of cases reported in the year 2020, which saw 9,169 cases. On the other hand, just five states—Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, and Kerala—account for more than 78% of these cases. While Maharashtra has consistently been topping the table in the last few years, Karnataka, which had under 100 such cases in 2015, has seen more significant spikes. The other three states have also seen a steady increase in cases.

Psychologists and psychiatrists have stated that addiction could have acted as the "final trigger," while underlying mental conditions or issues like family problems and financial troubles may have pushed victims to the brink. Several experts have explained that suicides never happen for one reason. There are always many underlying issues, and when it comes to drug or alcohol addiction, one should understand that long-term use of these substances increases depression, which could also lead to self-harm. 

The government began classifying such deaths in 1995 when there were 745 suicides due to addiction. Since 2016, there has been a significant rise in addiction-driven suicides, with each year adding at least 1,000 more cases.

(Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/10k-suicides-in-india-in-2021-linked-to-abuse-of-drugs-alcohol/articleshow/93959327.cms)