Experts call for stronger suicide prevention in Salzburg

Suicide claims three times as many lives in Austria as road crashes and is the second-leading cause of death among people under 34, experts and survivors told an ORF-reported conference in Hallwang, in the Flachgau region, on Thursday.

The event, held on the International Day for the Prevention of Suicide, focused on how people in crisis can receive better support.

Selina and Lorena, two sisters from the Pinzgau region, spoke about losing their mother to suicide three years ago. They said support from their family and staying together had helped them, as had therapy through Pro Mente.

They also said that people who did not look away but approached them directly had provided important support. “Talking openly helps a lot,” they said.

A year ago, the sisters organised the first Mental Health Marathon in Zell am See. They donated the proceeds to Pro Mente’s outpatient crisis intervention service. The event was intended to present the subject in a different light and link it more closely with strength and solidarity, they said.

Petra Gruber-Juhasz, Salzburg’s director of public health, said open discussion of suicide and mental health crises was essential because the subject was still too often treated as a taboo. She said people should pay attention to warning signs in their private and professional environments, adding that the authorities also supported prevention programmes in schools.

Psychologist Maria Trigler urged people to take warning signs seriously and speak directly to those in crisis. “We communicate that someone is there for you,” she said, describing low-threshold support services as a strength rather than a weakness.

The event at the Odeion cultural centre marked the start of the Yellow September campaign month. Organisations are using initiatives throughout September to raise awareness of psychosocial health and help bring mental health crises and suicide out of the taboo zone.

People in crisis can contact Telefonseelsorge free of charge at any time on 142. Support for young people and young adults is also available from Rat auf Draht on 147 and from Kids-line at 0800 234 123 or via online chat. Pro Mente operates regional crisis hotlines in Salzburg at 0662 433351, St. Johann at 06412 20033 and Zell am See at 06542 72600.