The number of people contacting 113 suicide prevention has tripled in the last three years. In 2019, 93,000 people contacted the helpline, both by telephone and by chat. The number of suicides in the Netherlands remained the same.
The 113 Suicide Prevention Foundation has a message about this Faithful confirmed on Tuesday with NU.nl. The helpline has never been so busy in its existence, according to a spokeswoman.
The number of suicides in the Netherlands has been constant for a few years: around eighteen hundred people put an end to their lives each year.
According to a spokesperson for the line, the increase in the number of phone calls is mainly due to brand awareness. Another cause is the breakdown of good care for people with suicidal thoughts.
“Many young people with suicidal thoughts are not heard”
According to the 113 Suicide Prevention Foundation, it is mainly the number of young people who have these kinds of thoughts that is unknown to the aid agencies. It is important that schools and care providers are more alert to signals that may indicate suicide tendencies among this group.
The organization was already sounding the alarm about the worrying increase in the number of young people who recently committed suicide. Surviving relatives believe that care for this group is not sufficient. Young risk patients often end up on a waiting list or in a ‘vicious circle’ of referrals.
Half of all people who rob themselves of their lives seek contact with a doctor or other health care professional in the month before they commit suicide. Often it is about complaints such as fatigue, pain or relationship problems. These signals are often not recognized as a suicide risk.
Are you thinking of suicide or are you worried about someone else? Call 0900-0113 or chat via 113.nl.
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