Suicide Prevention Week kicks off at the School of Health and Welfare

On 9 September, the annual Suicide Prevention Day was held at the School of Health and Welfare at Jönköping University (JU). The day contained lectures from researchers at JU and various guest speakers from Student Health Services, Jönköping Municipality and the Emergency Services, on topics of how they work with and are affected by suicide prevention in different ways. In Jönköping County, the whole week is dedicated to suicide prevention through various activities.

The day offered several different sessions and lectures that dealt with suicide prevention efforts and the methods used within different areas. The sessions also invited participants to take part in discussions and exercises, which, together with the lecturers, led to them coming up with new perspectives and thoughts on the subject matter.

Karl Hedman, Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Organisation in Health and Social Care, University of Borås, has been organizer of the event for several years in a row. For over 28 years, he has researched how psychiatry, healthcare, social services and blue light organisations work with suicide intervention, prevention and crisis support in Sweden and the United States. In the afternoon, he contributed to the day’s programme with a 40-minute session on dealing with management of suicidal emergencies.

- I am grateful that all speakers were able to attend and that participants were active in small group discussions. This day is a good on oppurtunity to raise awareness about mental health problems, loneliness and suicidality and what we as a commnity can do to support suicidal people, says Karl Hedman.

Student Health Care co-organised lectures at JU

The Student Health Care also contributed to the suicide prevention week by organising lectures on both Monday and Tuesday in the JU auditorium, together with the Emergency Services, Jönköping Municipality and Region Jönköping County.

On Monday evening, Andreas Johnsson presented the lecture ‘Om bollen inte är rund’ (If the ball is not round), where he shared parts of his childhood, dealing with exclusion, peer pressure and the desire to fit in.

On Tuesday, Daniel Karlsson, also known as The Moniker, performed a concert aimed at showing how he tries to reflect his feelings through music. This was followed by a talk by Karl Martindahl, who spoke about how farming was his way out of the darkness of exhaustion, depression and anxiety.