Don't die today. Warning figures show that three people a day commit suicide in the Czech Republic. Most completed attempts are among the elderly.
Suicide. A word that scares. An irreversible solution, but one that doesn't have to happen if we start talking about the problems early. In the Czech Republic, 1,300 people a year end their lives by their own hand. Prevention primarily focuses on the young, but seniors are a group at significant risk.
"Hello, I have called you several times before and today I am just calling to say that I want to do it. You know, it's me, the one who takes care of the husband who doesn't recognize her," the woman tells the receiver of the Senior Crisis Line 800 200 007. According to her statistics, the number of suicide-related calls has doubled year-over-year. Seniors are the second most at-risk population in terms of suicidality. But the percentage of completed acts relative to attempts is highest among them.
In the spring, suicides are highest
Statistics also show that the highest number of suicides occurs in the spring. "People who are recovering from a suicide attempt often talk about how the hope that something will change held them until the end of the year. But when the arrival of spring brought "another year of suffering" instead of the expected change, they lost faith and strength," says the head of the Senior Citizens' Helpline, psychologist Kateřina Bohatá. According to her, there are a number of prevention programmes in the Czech Republic aimed at youth and young adults, but none aimed at the elderly.
Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, the government commissioner for human rights, sees room for improvement, for example, in information about the availability of various forms of psychosocial support.
She supported the campaign by convening a roundtable. On Monday, 24 April, she will hold a meeting with the expert team of the National Institute of Mental Health, representatives of the psychiatric community and representatives of NGOs that provide direct services to the elderly. Representatives of the Parliamentary Commission on Family of the Social and Health Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate will also be invited.
"There are a number of support services in the field of mental health care in the Czech Republic, including helplines, crisis lines and online therapies. However, older people often cannot access them. Firstly, they are not familiar with such options and often it does not even occur to them that they need professional help. Few people also know that some health insurance companies provide allowances for psychotherapy. Expanding this type of support as much as possible, and especially education in mental health care, is a way to prevent tragedies," said Šimáčková Laurenčíková.
It is important to talk about it
Many myths circulate around suicide, making it difficult to detect it early and get help. Seniors often encounter downplaying such as "but grandma, don't think about it...".Yet it is the early recognition of the seriousness of the experience that is most important in terms of prevention. One of the most widespread myths is the fear that if we talk to a person who is having thoughts of suicide about their experience, we can guide them to actually do the act. The opposite is true! People are greatly relieved if they can confide in someone honestly. Let's ask directly: Do you think about the things you would most like to hurt yourself? Are you having suicidal thoughts?
People always decide to commit suicide based on intense psychological pain and suffering. Statistics and professional experience prove that it makes sense to engage in prevention. More than 95% of people who have attempted suicide and have been helped will not attempt suicide again.
Seniors often do not know who to turn to in their neighbourhood, so they turn to crisis hotlines. For 20 years, they have been able to call the Senior Citizens' Crisis Line free of charge, thanks to the support of the O2 Foundation.
"Loneliness brings out a sense of helplessness and abandonment in many of us, which can be overwhelming for older people. That's why we're proud to have a long-standing partnership with the Elpida Centre to provide a free Senior Citizens' Helpline so they can talk to someone whenever they feel alone or need help. Every phone call not only alleviates feelings of loneliness and isolation, but can also save a life." Says O2 Foundation manager Dominika Herdová.
Warning signs
Loss of interest in things or activities that were usually considered pleasurable, loss of meaning in life, reduced contact with others or less care for oneself. These are just some of the factors that may indicate that tragedy is on the way. Others include discontinuing treatment, losing a partner or writing a will. The most telling sign is a direct expression of suicidal intent. Excessive alcohol consumption, depression, existential distress and chronic pain also aggravate the psychological state.
What can help resist suicidal thoughts
In a tense, life-threatening situation, communication is essential. Having someone to turn to with my worries. Involvement in family or community or a daily schedule of activities that give a sense of purpose and bring joy is also important. Regular care for physical and mental health, well-compensated medical conditions and limitations in self-care are essential.
If we are going through a major crisis and feeling emotionally low, it is very good to remember that emotions change and how we feel now does not mean we will feel that way a month from now. It will very likely be better.
If you notice some of the warning signs in your loved one, it's perfectly okay to helpfully and specifically ask how they are doing, how they are feeling and what's on their mind. And offer help and support. If you are unsure about how to respond, you can seek advice and professional help.
In what situations do callers contact the Senior Citizens Helpline? What difference can a call to the helpline make? What do you think they can tell me? Find the answers in the following model stories with a good ending.
"I'm just calling saying I want to do it already"
"Hello, I've called you several times before and so today I'm just calling saying I want to do it already. You know, it's me, the one who's taking care of the husband who doesn't recognize her. Today there was a caregiver, but she was again only taking care of him, no one is helping me. My eyesight is so bad, I have a congenital eye defect, as I told you, and now I'm afraid I'm going to go blind. But the carer is there for my husband, so she washed him and told me to go to bed, I look bad, very tired. Well, I didn't sleep last night. If I don't get any help, the nurse comes in three times a week and doesn't say a word to me. I have no one but my husband. I'm all alone! My husband always needs supervision, he forgets all the time. And he doesn't recognize me, except sometimes. I've got a whole box of neurol, so I think I'll take it tonight to sleep. I told the other caregiver, the one who comes in on Mondays, and she told me not to fool around with the meds, that it'll be fine. She doesn't think I'm serious. No one cares about me." Someone cares about you!
"Ithink about what it would be like not to be."
"I almost couldn't get out of bed again today. I know it's an illness, I know I'm depressed, but it hurts so bad. I really feel like it physically hurts and I feel sorry for everything. This life is so hard. It's been three years since my son died, but it still feels like yesterday to me. No one at home wants to hear about it anymore. My friends tell me to forget it, stop whining and get on with my life. But that doesn't make sense to me. He was supposed to still be here, he was such a great guy, he's got little kids. I'm the one who should have died. I'm done with my life. I'm so tired. Sometimes I don't even want to talk to anyone. There's nothing to tell, there's nothing new going on in my life. My wife and I don't talk anymore, I don't know who I'm living with. I'm tired of my grandchildren, but I try, they're not to blame. I think about what it would be like not to be. It would finally stop hurting..."It would hurt less!
"Maybe it's time to stop trying and just end it all."
"I'm calling because I'm still dealing with the debt, but I'm running out of ideas. You see, I signed in good faith that he would pay it back. I'm making a little money working at the sawmill on top of my pension now, it's worth a little money, but not much. I'm calling for it because I was at the job centre today, it was awful, it's so crowded I feel sorry for the clerks. I thought if I got housing benefit, I'd be able to make the payment and still come out with enough for food and stuff. But they turned me down. I guess my pension is too high, I don't quite understand. I'm really desperate what I'm going to do. I've got 127 crowns in my wallet, waiting for my pension to come in, and I'm thinking, how long can you live like this? I know the debt is my fault, but I just can't do it anymore. Maybe it's time to stop trying and just end this whole thing, this life I can't live anymore. I'm ashamed, I'm the guy crying. But it's nice to hear you say it's really hard. That it's not a failure, that I feel like a failure." Asking for help is not failure!
Where to get professional help?
On average, one caller a day contacts the Senior Helpline at 800 200 007 with suicidal thoughts, plans or in the process of a suicide attempt.
We see each such call as a great opportunity to try to open other avenues out of suffering and achieve change or relief. Let's increase these numbers together - so that more people who are contemplating suicide don't have to be alone with their endless pain.
If you or a loved one is in immediate danger of death, call 112 or 155 and do not leave them alone until professional help arrives.
The senior line 800 200 007 is available daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., anonymously and free of charge.
Other sources of help are:
Mental Health Helpline (free and anonymous, non-stop) 116 123
https://www.capld.cz/linky-duvery-cr/ - regional helplines, contacts
www.sebevrazdy.cz - the information portal of the National Institute for Mental Health
www.opatruj.se - a portal dedicated to mental health
Don't Let Go of the Soul - NGO
Loono - NGO
Links:
The Senior Citizens Line 800 200 007 is a free anonymous crisis line and helpline for seniors, caregivers and people in crisis. Hours of operation are from 8am to 8pm every day, including weekends and holidays. Elpida, o.p.s. has been operating the Senior Citizens' Helpline for more than 20 years. The partners of the helpline are the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the O2 Foundation and the Prague City Council.
Contact for media
Iveta Čížová ~ PR ~ iveta.cizova@elpida.cz ~ +420 773 480 505
Elpida means hope in Greek. But it is also the name of an organisation that helps seniors become a confident and respected part of society. In the spirit of the motto Old's Cool, Elpida is changing the way people look at old age - it runs the ElpidaEducational and Cultural Centre for seniors from all over Prague and the SeniorCrisis Line, it founded the brand Socks from Grandma, it publishes the magazine VITAL and the podcast Old's Cool.