Why TUD researchers have founded a network for suicide prevention

Dagmar Möbius

In Germany, around 10,000 people die by suicide each year – more than from traffic accidents, drug abuse, violent crime and AIDS combined. Of the 643 recorded cases of suicide in Saxony in 2015, 488 were men and 155 were women. During the same period, 1028 men and 93 women died as a result of accidents. Among 15- to 25-year-olds, suicide is the second most common cause of death.

There are numerous services available to help people in crisis. However, they are used far too infrequently. “We think nothing of talking about dental prophylaxis, but we don’t like talking about suicide prevention. That is unfortunate and dangerous,” says Professor Susanne Knappe from TU Dresden’s Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. “If people are made aware of the issue, we can save lives. It’s an issue that affects us all!” The psychologist belongs to a working group that founded the Network for Suicide Prevention in Dresden (NeSuD) in December 2017 together with the Werner-Felber-Institut für Suizidprävention und Interdisziplinäre Forschung im Gesundheitswesen (Werner Felber Institute for Suicide Prevention and Interdisciplinary Research in Health Care). The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) invested a total of 3.5 million euros into research projects on suicide prevention through 2020. NeSuD is one of 14 projects across Germany that received funding, with a sum of 424,000 euros. Dr. Ute Lewitzka from the Werner Felber Institute is leading the project in cooperation with Professor Jürgen Hoyer and Professor Susanne Knappe from the Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at TU Dresden.

The BMG is funding an additional project in Dresden as part of this program – universalRAUM, an institute for evidence-based architecture in health care. Led by Dr. Nadine Glasgow, it is a TUD spin-off concerned with architectural suicide prevention.

At NeSuD’s first meeting in September 2018, 30 stakeholders from various professions discussed their future collaboration. They agreed on a position paper which not only listed the existing barriers for at-risk and suicidal individuals (limited care capacity in outpatient and inpatient facilities, sub-optimal use of resources, complicated referrals to inpatient treatment facilities, lack of training for personnel, lack of educational campaigns about suicide), it also formulated concrete ideas and measures for improved care.

The network’s main goal is to teach youth and adults about psychological stress and suicidal tendencies, as well as about existing professional help in the region. A dedicated website is already online. From spring 2019, preventative information sessions and materials are planned for all upper-level and secondary schools. “Children and youth are the most important group that we would like to reach. In crises, they often don’t perceive their parents as suitable points of contact or they don’t have anyone they can talk to about their troubles,” says Professor Susanne Knappe, who also leads the training program for pediatric and adolescent psychotherapy at IAP-TU Dresden GmbH. There is also a high suicide rate in nursing homes. Experts estimate that seniors with psychiatric conditions which require treatment often have difficulty accessing help.

“Psychological health is not discussed in schools. We want to show that it’s possible to talk about suicide. Suicidal tendencies are not uncommon,” says Knappe. “We don’t want to lead anyone by the hand, just inform them. Our services don’t replace treatment for those who are ill,” stresses the psychological psychotherapist. In modular elements, which are also conceivable as school project days, videos and role-playing are used and those affected have the opportunity to be heard. The desired increase in knowledge about mental health in the students is evaluated. The informational units are not only presented by teachers, but also by experts on suicide and young people who visit the schools. Interested students can also contact the NeSuD Project Leader.

Reactions to the planned information sessions at schools range from “Great!” to “We don’t have those sorts of problems.” “There is a lot of interest, but also blind spots,” says Susanne Knappe. She is glad that the public authorities that have to sign off on the project have been well-disposed thus far. Of course, there are also concerns up front. Could a crisis be triggered by talking about it? Medical personnel, psychotherapists and other professional helpers often encounter myths or false assumptions. “You can’t talk about it or something bad will happen.” Or: “Anyone who talks about it isn’t serious.” These are just two examples. Susanne Knappe counters, “Of course they happen and people are serious! Those are signs of intense psychological distress. Those affected would prefer time to stand still, to have peace and quiet. And a solution can be found.” No one should be left on their own.

There is still little research on the warning signals for suicidal tendencies. “We are a long way from a check list,” says Professor Susanne Knappe, and explains, “Suicidal thoughts occur in crisis situations and, for example, in cases of depression.” While the number of suicides has remained largely stable, the stress factors of modern life are increasing. More and more mental illnesses are being diagnosed and more people are exhausted than before.

The network participants would like to involve more interested parties in their interdisciplinary work, for example statutory health insurance companies and the police. They are planning scientific symposia and training courses for professionals on the topic of suicide. The three-year project, which initially ran until October 2020, is to continue on a permanent basis. In this regard, members are in contact with similar projects in Thuringia, Hesse and Bavaria.

Contact the Network for Suicide Prevention in Dresden via
email:

Help is available from:
www.nightline-dresden.de
Hotline by students for students. Anonymous and confidential.

www.u25-dresden.de
Online advising for youth and young people under 25 in crisis situations and at risk of suicide. Anonymous and free of charge.

Psycho-social service for people in crisis situations
Tel.: +49 351 488 53 41

Number in case of trouble, children’s and youth hotline: +49 800 1110333
(Mon–Sat: 2–8 p.m., free of charge)

Confidential hotline:
+49 351 8041616, daily 5–11 p.m.

Additional information:
www.felberinstitut.de/forschung/
www.suizidprophylaxe.de
www.dresden.de/krisenwegweiser

This article was published on December 11, 2018, in the 20/2018 Dresden Universitätsjournal. You can download the full issue as a PDF for free here. You can also order the UJ in print or as a PDF from doreen.liesch@tu-dresden.de. More information is available at universitaetsjournal.de.