Yes, electrical components do tend to get damaged by static electricity, since static electricity has a high magnitude of voltage (often in thousands of volts). Of course static electricity buildup is usually more common in countries with a cold/dry climate. RAM IMO isn't as sensitive as other components, but better to be safe than sorry.
To discharge static electricity from your body :
- Make sure your cabinet has its power supply cable plugged in to your power source. Power supply should be "OFF". Even in the OFF position, the 'Ground' terminal of your 3-pin plug is still connected.
- Touch any metallic portion of your cabinet with your bare hands. The static electricity will get discharged, through the ground terminal.
There are products like anti-static wrist straps that make it easier to discharge electricity, however they do tend to be a bit of a hazard in case you come in contact with live current.
