113 Suicide Prevention is launching a new campaign aimed at young adults. According to the foundation, young adults, especially men, are difficult for care providers to reach. In addition, there is a taboo on suicide, which means that it is not talked about.
But talking can provide relief and be the first step towards a solution. That is also the message that influencers will spread via social media. The campaign is called 1K Z1E J3 and is being distributed on TikTok, YouTube, streaming platform Twitch and popular forums such as Reddit.
The campaign is applauded by the Survival after Suicide Drenthe foundation. Board members Henny Roos and Duttie Kluin have both lost a young adult child and are happy with every attempt to reach this group. “Every suicide is one too many,” says Henny Roos, who points to the online nature of the campaign. “That’s the level that young people communicate at, so I guess that’s the place to reach them.”
The Survival after Suicide Drenthe foundation has existed for thirty years this week. A sad milestone, because it would rather not have been necessary, confirms Duttie Kluin. According to her, there is a need for a specific group for relatives after suicide. “It is very specific, because the question why is very big. The understanding from those around us is also less than when you lose someone due to another cause.”
“That makes it very difficult to start a conversation about it,” Kluin continues. She still remembers how nervous she was before her first conversation with fellow sufferers. “It felt very nice that you get recognition. It is also very special that you hear someone say something and think ‘Oh, that’s what I mean too. But I didn’t have any words for that yet’, which made things recognizable.”
The foundation has been around for thirty years, but according to the board members it is still poorly regarded. “We have little money, so we don’t have money for advertising or brand awareness. It has to come from word of mouth. And we try to leave a brochure through funeral directors so that relatives can find us if they need it.”