Benefit concert for the telephone counseling service on September 15

The telephone counseling service is a lifeline for many of those affected. Loneliness and depression are among the most frequent topics of calls. However, issues relating to suicidal tendencies are also addressed - in 9% of calls in 2022.

The East Thuringia telephone helpline also relies on donations to finance its 24-hour service. As part of World Suicide Prevention Day, a benefit concert will once again take place in the Friedenskirche on Friday, September 15, starting at 7:30 pm. This time, Irish folk music will be performed by the group "Plough".

"Plough present the musical world of the Highlands and the far north, always in search of something different. Sometimes cheeky and fast, sometimes thoughtful and quiet tunes from Scotland, Ireland, Sweden and America.

Admission to the concert is free - donations for the Telefonseelsorge are requested.

Background information

Suicide is still a taboo subject. According to the Federal Health Report, 9,215 people took their own lives in Germany in 2021. According to death certificates, this included 6,805 men and 2,410 women. This means that men accounted for more than 75% of completed suicides. The overall suicide rate was 11.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. If you compare these figures with other causes of death, more people still die by suicide in Germany every year than from road accidents (2021: 2,562), murder (2021: 257) and illegal drugs (2021: 1,826) combined. Thuringia recorded a total of 328 suicides in 2021; experts estimate around 10 to 20 attempted suicides for every completed suicide. In addition, there are people who are affected by suicide in other ways: Relatives, friends and acquaintances, the work and school environment, but also professional helpers from the fields of counseling, therapy, the police and fire department, and many more.

East Thuringia telephone helpline is an important source of support

The telephone counseling service is an important suicide prevention service. It is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on 0800 - 111 0 111 or 0800 - 111 0 222. The volunteers at the telephone helpline are there for people with their fears and needs, listen to them and help them find local help if necessary.

Further contacts

GPs are a good first point of contact for suicidal thoughts if there is no psychiatric or psychotherapeutic connection. In addition to the treatment sector, the Social Psychiatric Service and the Center for Mental Health in Jena provide low-threshold help without a referral certificate. Here, both those affected and their relatives receive advice in mental crises. In the event of acute suicidal tendencies, please call 112 - a psychiatric emergency is also a real emergency!