Every year around 9,000 people die by suicide in Germany. In Germany, more people die by suicide than from traffic accidents, acts of violence and illegal drugs. Among young people, suicidality is the second most common cause of death. These figures alone show how important the issue of suicide prevention is.
World Suicide Prevention Day 2023 in Alaunpark. Photo: Archive Caritas Association for Dresden eV
Suicide prevention in Neustadt
September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. To mark the occasion, the Schauburg will be showing a free screening of the film “Hello Jule, I’m still alive”. The film documents the email contact between Anna and Jule. Anna has suicidal thoughts and tells Jule about her world-weariness and inner emptiness. Jule herself was at risk of suicide for many years and can understand Anna’s thoughts.
The film tells the life stories of the two girls in sensitive images and personal statements. In 2010, the Film directors, Heidi and Bernd Umbreit, the German Social Prize.
The event in the Schauburg is organized by “[U25]”. [U25] is a confidential and free online counseling service for adolescents and young adults up to 25 years of age. The counseling is based on the peer concept, which means that clients are advised by volunteers of the same age.
This reaches a target group that is particularly affected by suicidality. The aim of the counseling is to accompany as many young people as possible through their (suicidal) crises and to be there for them for as long as necessary. First and foremost, it is about giving young people the opportunity, sometimes for the first time, to talk about their thoughts, to organize them and perhaps even develop solutions.
[U25] was founded in Freiburg in 2001 and is now represented at eleven locations across Germany and is offered by the “Arbeitskreis Leben Freiburg” in cooperation with the German Caritas Association. In Dresden, the advice has been active since 2013 and is a project of the Caritas Association for Dresden eV. At the end of this year, the nationwide funding runs out, the volunteers are fighting for the continuation of the project.
World Suicide Prevention Day in the past
Last year, the Caritas Association for Dresden eV organized a large graffiti campaign. With the support of the Neustadt district office, they sprayed the message #youareimportanttome on the toilet block in Alaunpark.
In addition, thanks to the support of the Dresden Environmental & Social Foundation of the East Saxon Sparkasse Dresden, they were able to have bags printed with references to the advice website. Those interested had the opportunity to help design the bags with encouraging, motivating sayings and motifs. This way, a small reference to help with suicidal thoughts is always with them when they go shopping or to university.
The Bonifatius Foundation also played a major role in raising awareness of suicide prevention. With their help, the association was able to distribute stickers with encouraging sayings to passers-by.
