Health will also enable attention through a chat on the phone against suicide

During the course of the act, a young woman explained her case and pointed out the fact that many, when they are immersed in a suicide attempt, do not think of calling on the phone.

“We take note and we are already getting started”, the minister responded at the close of the act. “If young people don’t want to talk, let them talk to us through a chat. 024 will have a chat so that young people can also express themselves, perhaps more openly. If they don’t want to pick up a phone, they can chat with the expert people who are behind the phone so that we can attend to them”, announced the head of Health.

In the four months that the 024 service has been operating, more than 43,000 calls have already been answered, that is, more than 350 calls every day. Of the total, the minister specified, 1,700 have been derived from 112 and more than 700 cases of suicide risk have been identified. “These data tell us about the need and usefulness of this service”, the minister insisted, emphasizing that behind every figure, every call, there are people.

On the other hand, the professionals behind 024 have identified several user profiles. Among them, “teachers who call asking for guidelines and tools to address suicidal behavior in students.” Darias has pointed out that 30% of the people who have called in these 120 days are people under 30 years of age.

Since May, 024 has been operating 24 hours a day and is managed by the Red Cross. Its implementation responds to a social demand that intensified after the maximum peak of deaths from this cause in the entire historical series was registered in 2020.

The suicide hotline is part of the new Mental Health Action Plan, which has funding of 100 million euros until 2024. The minister also referred to the announcement she made this Thursday about the preparation of Risk Codes of Conduct to prevent suicidal behavior as the next step to combat this problem.