Some offers do not need advertising and still are a success. More than 130 calls were received by the suicide prevention hotline of the association La Barandilla in Madrid in the first two months after its opening, says director Ana Lancho. "And even though we are just a small club and the lines at La Barandilla can only be occupied seven days a week from 9am to 9pm."
Lancho has a pretty simple concept of how to deal with suicide: "We need to talk more about suicide if we want to help those affected," she says. Her association is part of a steadily growing movement that wants to free the topic of suicide from stigma. Because this help nobody.
Among these people is Cecilia Borràs, founder and President of the Catalan Survivors' Association Después del Suicidio ( After Suicide ), also known as DSAS. Borràs lost her son in 2012, he took his own life. Since then has been committed to make suicide a topic of conversation. "Mostly people who commit suicide do not want to die at all, they just do not want to suffer anymore and you can help them," she says. Lancho agrees. "We need to make it clear to the person concerned that the pain is temporary, but not death."
Heavily issued death certificates
According to the Institute of Statistics, 3,500 people die every year in Spain. However, the number of unreported cases is likely to be significant in suicides. Frequently after a suicide the death certificates are manipulated. For fear of stigmatization, legal difficulties or to avoid that the local church denies the burial, then another cause of death is indicated.
Carmen Regidor Marcos, 59 years old, was born in Madrid and has twice almost become part of this statistic. When more than ten years ago violence, poverty, alcohol and prostitution determined her life, she twice tried to kill herself. However, after relinquishing her alcohol dependence, she relapsed last November due to family circumstances. "It's hard for me to get back on my feet," she admits, trying to hide the pain behind a smile. She was one of the first to call La Barandilla. "On the one hand, I was curious, but at the same time, suicide was not completely off the table for me," she recalls.
After two calls to the hotline, Regidor Marcos is now a regular user of the Day Center for Social Integration, which runs the association la Banderilla in addition to the telephone emergency counseling. "The center is like a feel-good oasis for me," she explains.
And then someone calls who has already swallowed the pills
At La Barandilla, there are ten skilled people ready to answer calls. They are called "listeners" and usually remain anonymous. "We have a permanent psychologist, but all listeners are volunteers: a psychiatrist, seven other psychologists, and a social worker specializing in mental health," Lancho lists her assistants. She stressed that she would like to hire everyone and offer the service around the clock, but lack the financial resources.
Shortly after joining the hotline, JL, one of the listeners, was confronted with one of the most difficult situations the job has to offer: a call from a person about to commit suicide. "He took pills before he called, and we kept him conscious for more than 40 minutes until we got his address and both the police and the Samur (rescue service, editor's note) arrived at his place," he says you. In three other cases, people had "prepared everything" to put an end to their lives. Each time, however, the audience managed to stop them.
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"People call in sheer despair, we have a fixed pattern to start with, sometimes we have to ask people why they're calling, but most of the time they just start talking, but most of them are hard to pronounce the word 'suicide', says JL Their job is to retune the callers and help them "grab life and draw on their inner strength".
The anonymity of the listeners is important because they can keep their distance and the callers are not too familiar with them. "Many ask who we are, but most of the time they settle for being professionals, sometimes they just want to talk because suicide is something they can not discuss with their partner without worrying about it All invitations are invaluable, "JL affirms
The problem of suicide is underestimated
The callers are predominantly middle-aged. "We have to reach more young people," says Lancho.
For Borràs, the number of calls already in this short time is a clear indication that the problem of suicide is underestimated. "We get so many calls, sometimes two a day, and we do not even take them at night (they're redirected to another hotline), which is the worst time," she says.
The President of the DSAS is therefore very pleased with the initiative La Banderilla. "It's important to raise awareness of suicide and provide a professional service," she says, adding, "Those in such situations do not want to talk to a well-meaning layman who tells them that everything is going to be okay That's what these people have been trying for a long time and they need professional help. "
Even Carmen Regidor Marcos is grateful. "If this hotline had existed a year ago, I would not have relapsed last year and now I'm confident I'll make it."