Around 30 people take their own lives in Germany every day.

Suicide is the second most common cause of death among those under 25.

Many do not know where to get help for mental illnesses - or what relatives, friends and acquaintances need in emergency situations.

Around 230 students from 32 schools gathered in Frankfurt to talk about it: at the school suicide prevention day.

Franziska Proll

Editor in the “Society & Style” department.

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"The pandemic has increased the need to talk about mental health and suicide," says 18-year-old Harrison Krampe of the City Student Council (SSR).

For six hours, the students exchanged ideas with representatives of aid and prevention projects on Monday in the youth culture church in Sankt Peter.

Search for therapists

The student representatives organized the suicide prevention day together with the Puhl Foundation.

Alix and Oliver Puhl have set themselves the goal of helping children and young people in mental distress with their foundation.

Two years ago, the Puhls lost one of their children, 16-year-old Emil, to suicide.

Since then, they have wanted to teach others how to recognize mental crises early.

Kalani Karakaya, a student and board member of the SSR, was suicidal herself.

In a workshop, she provided information on what to do when people close to you are depressed and/or express suicidal intentions.

"Those who attended the workshop really wanted to help," says the 20-year-old student.

That touched her.

“Sometimes those affected think that others don’t care about them.

But it is not like that."

Karakaya has found that many do not know how to find a therapist that suits them.

“I made a lot of phone calls myself to find a therapist.

I like to compare it with friends: you don't always find the right one quickly." She told the students that to encourage them.

Because the schoolgirl knows: The path to professional help is further than it needs to be - also because not all schools are prepared for it.

Reduce barriers to help

Teachers often find it difficult to recognize and address mental health problems.

"Schools are very differently positioned," says Puhl.

A recent Puhl Foundation survey of 600 teachers found that two-thirds of teachers do not know how to recognize mental illness.

"Therein lies a call for help," says Oliver Puhl.

That is why the participants in the suicide prevention day sent a petition to the Minister of Education, Alexander Lorz (CDU).

Among other things, they call for the integration of mental health as a topic in biology classes, for teachers to be trained for it and for each secondary school to hire at least one full-time social worker.

Student representatives are convinced that when it becomes more normal to talk about mental illness, the barriers to seeking help will decrease.

Students often find it difficult to open up in front of teachers.

“Those affected feel that they need help and are no longer a full-fledged person,” says Harrison Krampe.

Even if a school psychologist is approachable, there is a stigma to going to her.

"Those affected fear social outing and isolation."