It's the last string of life... One-third of the helpline calls are 'eaten'

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Those who go through life's difficulties and think of death desperately need someone to help them not let go of the last string.

The authorities tell us to dial the suicide prevention hotline 1393 at this time, and although more and more people are calling, it is not easy to connect the call.

Let's take a look at reporter Park Se-won's report and talk about it.

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Mr. A said that whenever his depression got worse and he had bad thoughts, he called the government's suicide prevention hotline 1393.

He's been calling about once a month since the beginning of this year, and he says he's never been connected to an agent.

[Sorry, the connection is delayed due to the high volume of consultations.

Sorry, I have a lot of calls...

.]

[Mr. A: When I couldn't control myself, there were times when I really thought that I would die if someone didn't say a word.]

Mr. A, who even went to the Han River Bridge at the beginning of this month.

Again, the 1393 phone number was not connected, and I managed to change my mind while talking to a counselor at the 'Call of Life' operated by a private foundation installed on the bridge.

[Mr. A: If there was no Call of Life, I think I would have made a really extreme choice.]

Last year, the number of deaths due to extreme choices was 13,000, up 1.2% from the previous year.

Between January and July of last year, about 103,000 calls were made to the suicide prevention hotline 1393.

However, like Mr. A, there were 34,000 cases in which a counselor was not even connected, accounting for 33.5%.

In August, out of 6,303 helpline calls made at 9pm, 58.7% were not connected.

I went to the Suicide Prevention Helpline Center in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul.

[Are you saying that the last time you contacted us before you died?]

There are 54 counselors in total, but only about 10 counselors are assigned to one shift due to 24-hour shifts.

As they receive all calls from all over the country, the response rate is bound to drop.

[Mr. B/Suicide Prevention Consultation Line 1393 Counselor: When we do counseling, we complain a lot about 'our institution does not accept'.

Actually, we are also a little upset and frustrated.

As calls are coming from all over the country, I feel that manpower reinforcement is definitely necessary.]

In order not to miss the desperate cry for 'save life', it seems that active support from the government is needed.

(Video coverage: Yang Ji-hoon, video editing: Ha Seong-won, CG: Seo Dong-min·Hong Seong-yong)

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Reporter Park Se-won, who covered this content, is here.

[Reporter Park Se-won: When we asked the Ministry of Health and Welfare, they answered that they plan to increase the number of counselors from 54 to 80 by filling in within this year.

Compared to the number of counselors at the center at the end of 2018, the number is gradually increasing.

These counselors are social workers or clinical psychologists, or have majors in counseling.

Suicide prevention counseling requires expertise.

Volunteers were sometimes put in when the number of helpline calls increased due to COVID-19, but as this professionalism problem surfaced, volunteers have not been recruited since last April.]

[Reporter Park Se-won: Counselors who work 24-hour shifts organize the contents after the consultation is over, and even connect to the local mental health center if the counselors want it.

The counselors I met explain that there is a lot of mental stress in this process.

Even an expert has difficulties to communicate while empathizing with people who think about extreme choices.]

[Mr. B/Suicide Prevention Helpline 1393 Counselor: If you are in a really dangerous situation, it is a bit mentally difficult and difficult to hear.

[Reporter Park Se-won: In order for the 1393 phone to do its job, it

seems that it is necessary to expand the manpower and support the mental health management of counselors.]

(Video coverage: Ji-Hoon Yang, video editing: Seong-Won Ha)