”Pluck up the courage to ask people how they feel”
2019-07-02
Three quick questions to Caroline Meyer Lagersparre, press officer for Suicide Zero, about their Open Friday seminar in Almedalen on what society can do to reduce the number of suicides in Sweden.
Suicide Zero’s seminar starts at 12.15 p.m. on Friday 5 July at New Republic’s arena (Sjöbergs bakgård) on Strandgatan 18 in Visby.
You are one of the four organisations participating in this year’s Open Friday, along with Tjejzonen (Girl Zone), Fältbiologerna (Nature and Youth Sweden) and Individuell Människohjälp (IM Swedish Development Partner). What are you looking forward to about the day?
– Open Friday provides us with an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of suicide and mental illness. We want to talk about how you identify the warning signs and to encourage more people to pluck up the courage to talk about a taboo subject. We are grateful to New Republic for giving us this opportunity and hope the seminar is well attended.
What can we as individuals do to reduce the number of suicides in Sweden and the stigmatisation of mental illness?
– Pluck up the courage to ask people how they feel. Learn which warning signs you should know and become aware that taboos make us often avoid, for example, listening to family members. You can also get help from us at Suicide Zero or do like our volunteers who send citizens’ proposals to their municipalities if they lack a clear suicide prevention action plan.
What do you see as the most pressing measures for achieving the zero suicide goal adopted by the Swedish Parliament in 2008?
– First and foremost, decision makers at all levels must be aware of the seriousness of the situation. In Sweden, four people commit suicide every day. Around 1,500 people every year. When that statistic sinks in, you realise that suicide is a societal problem that cuts across social classes, generations and is not just a welfare issue. We believe, as a consequence of the zero suicide goal adopted by the Swedish Parliament in 2008, it is high time a national coordinator is appointed to ensure that the zero strategy is being carried out.
Caroline Meyer Lagersparre was interviewed by Samuel Lakén, researcher at New Republic. ‘Three Quick Questions…’ is a series of interviews conducted by New Republic.