On World Suicide Prevention Day, the public association “Altruism” launched the social campaign “Stay”, an initiative that encourages empathy and open dialogue about emotional suffering, replacing stigmatization with real support. The campaign is aimed at both those who are going through difficult times and society as a whole, calling for involvement, understanding, and solidarity, reports IPN.
The event was organized on Wednesday in the public garden “Stefan cel Mare si Sfant”. “We came out today to talk to people about the realities surrounding the phenomenon of suicide. We have various leaflets that we want to distribute, and all around the Classics Alley, we have placed various quotes meant to encourage passers-by and, in places, to provoke them to speak,” declared the president of the “Altruism” association, Liuba Ceban.
Liuba Ceban emphasized that every person goes through suffering, but some feel the pain with much greater intensity than others and, in such moments, they find it harder to cope with the situation, needing special support.
According to her, the issue of suicide in the Republic of Moldova is insufficiently explored, even though a decreasing trend in cases has been observed in recent years. The highest suicide rate is recorded among the elderly, and the second risk group consists of young people under 30 years old. Also, it is essential to provide support to those who have graduated from university and are professionally active, but who have a weaker connection with their family or other support persons.
Liuba Ceban pointed out that among the suicidal signals are the abandonment of healthy personal care habits, tendencies towards isolation, and discussions about death. These signs indicate that the person is going through inner suffering and needs special attention from those close to them or specialized support. The sooner help is provided, the greater the chance of prevention.
The “Altruism” Association offers psychological counseling services both online, on the platform pentruviata.md, and in person, in their office. The association’s psychologist, Vera Constantinov, emphasized that suicide remains a taboo and stigmatized subject in the Republic of Moldova, and one of the solutions is creating a safe space where people can openly talk about their problems and sufferings and ask for support.
According to the specialist, the clinic primarily addresses individuals in deep existential crisis, suffering from severe depression or undergoing antidepressant treatment. They receive support to rediscover their inner resources, and after about a month of therapy, a significant improvement in their condition is observed.
On September 10th, around the world, World Suicide Prevention Day is observed.
