Suicide prevention: campaign calls for talking, listening and getting help

"Talk, listen and get help!" is the core message of a prevention campaign by the SBB, the canton of Zurich, Pro Juventute and other partners such as the Havas agency. Peers are often the first to notice when teenagers or young adults are thinking about suicide. This is where the campaign launched on Monday comes in.

It wants to show how young people can help when a friend has suicidal thoughts. Five young adults talk about their experiences in short clips and encourage people to talk about this taboo subject. The music recognition app Shazam is used. Posters hung throughout Switzerland can be photographed with Shazam and a short film clip opens.

Talk and get help

It is relieving to talk about suicidal thoughts, according to the media release. Young helpers should seek help for those affected, but also for themselves. Under no circumstances should they remain silent, even if they are asked to do so.

Adult confidants such as parents, relatives, coaches, teachers or professional counselors and therapists could help. If there is an immediate danger of suicide, the police and emergency services should be alerted.

Suicidal thoughts in adolescents or young adults are mainly triggered by acute stress, for example, by lovesickness or problems at school, in training or at work.Completed suicides are rarer in adolescents than in older people.

Women more frequently affected

It is estimated that around one in ten people will attempt suicide at some point in their lives. Girls and women are three to four times more likely to attempt suicide than boys and men. From 2009 to 2015, an average of 131 young people under the age of 29 died by suicide each year in Switzerland. Men were significantly more likely to do so than women.

"SBB is severely affected by rail suicides and suicide attempts," the statement continues. In addition to the enormous suffering for the relatives, suicides also have a serious impact on customers and employees.

Every day, an average of two to three young people with suicidal thoughts or questions on this topic contact the professional counselors at "Beratung + Hilfe 147". The number of suicide attempts is also high.

Around the clock, throughout Switzerland, agencies such as "Die Dargebotene Hand" (telephone number 143) and "Beratung + Hilfe 147" (147) are there for people in suicidal crises and their environment. (SDA)

Responsible at SBB: Michelle Rothen (Head of Strategic Marketing & Sustainability ), Tobias Ebinger (Project Manager), Marco Serratore (Team Leader Consulting Marketing Communications), Sandra Graf, Sabine Walther and Caroline Bleuer (Media). Responsible at Prevention and Health Promotion Canton Zurich: Sibylle Brunner (Canton of Zurich Commissioner for Prevention and Health Promotion), Annett Niklaus (Communications and Campaigns Officer). Responsible at Pro Juventute: Gaby Ullrich (Head of Marketing), Ingo Albrecht (Campaign Manager Pro Juventute). Responsible at Havas: Nathalie Diethelm (overall responsibility), Peter Schäfer (strategy), Patrick Beeli (creative director), Willem Baumann (art director), Mathias Bart (text), Caroline Ronzani, Alexandra Cron (consulting), Tobias Müller-Theis (Havas Digital), Claudia Bont (digital and print production). Art Buying (Ilonka Galliard). Responsible at Shazam: Jacqueline Nussbaum (Reselling Partner Stailamedia), Kelly Tennison (Commercial Manager Switzerland). Production: Ilonka Galliard/René Hauser. Direction/Photography: Cyrill Matter. Postproduction: Southern Lights. Recording studio: Jingle Jungle. Image processing: Ferco Dregelyvari.