Suicide prevention centre in Belgium warns of declining mental health among young people

Calls from young people to the suicide prevention centre have risen by 15% since 2020, according to volunteers staffing its 24 hour helpline.

Some callers to the francophone service in Brussels and Wallonia are as young as the age of 10, reports RTBF.

Showing a similar trend is the centre’s follow-up care after a suicidal crisis: four out of 10 consultations now involving minors or young adults.

According to one of the 90 volunteers staffing the 24/7 helpline (0800 32.123). “Many cite school bullying as the reason for their distress, along with the difficulty of speaking to loved ones about it or being taken seriously by those close to them.”

These young people feel different and excluded — feelings that are amplified by social media. Furthermore, issues such as domestic violence and even incest are reasons for calling — or can trigger suicidal thoughts, said the volunteer.

The individual also noted a key difference between calls from young people and those from adults. “For a young person, it is hard to imagine that things will get better... next year. To them, the period of suffering feels endless, yet they are looking for immediate answers.”

Operated by the group ‘Un pass dans l’impasse,’ there is one site in Brussels and nine in Wallonia.

The service offers psychological support through individual or family consultations to those contemplating taking their own life.

Suicide is a major public health problem in Belgium. The country has the fourth highest suicide rate in Europe with 15.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, according to latest figures by Eurostat.

More information on suicide prevention in Belgium here.

Photo: ©Sciensano