Today, September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day and maybe suicide is something you have never ever been confronted with, well, count your blessings then. However, the sad and realistic statistics show that we will all be confronted with it in one form or another…how do you recognise the signs? How do you respond when you see someone you care about or know struggle? What to say or do and what not to say?
On this special day, all over the world awareness is asked for prevention of suicide and mental health problems. Highly necessary, as is appears, only in Flanders Belgium, every day 3 persons decide to take their own lives (we have about 6,5mio inhabitants here). The number of attempts however is 10 times higher, meaning in Flanders each morning 30 persons will not make it till the next morning sunrise because they decide to end their life by suicide. These sad numbers place us very high on the European scoreboard and that is not something to be proud of. It also means at some point in time, in life, you yourself will be confronted with suicide in your direct environment. According to WHO every 40 seconds someone commits suicide…now doesn’t that deserve some of our attention and time?!
Last week, by chance, I got the opportunity to do my bit to put suicide prevention in the spotlight as Flemish comedian and singer Els de Schepper was recording a single and clip here in my hometown Aartselaar and they needed some extra people to fill up the background (little did we know at the time we actually had to sing along the chorus!!!)
The song is called ‘noodrem’, that’s Flemish/Dutch for ‘communication cord’, like in pulling the communication cord or emergency brake, and with it Els de Schepper and Centrum ter Preventie van Zelfdoding which is the organisation behind the call line Zelfmoordlijn wants to make this topic less heavy to talk about as it is still something that hides in the shadows, major taboo label on it. Over 30 Flemish celebrities joined forces with initiator Els and willingly participated. Kirsten Pauwels is the director of the Flemish Prevention Centre Centrum ter Preventie van Zelfdoding and she said (freely translated)”Through this song we can support people having suicidal thoughts and also their close environment; we let them know we care, giving them a message of hope and throwing them a lifeline, we won’t drop them.”
Els de Schepper herself lost two persons she cared very deeply about to suicide and strongly felt the need she had to do something, say something, step up…being a performer gives her the opportunity to raise awareness of this matter so close to her heart.
Why was my attention drawn? What’s my personal link to suicide prevention? Well, those of you who have been following this blog for a while know through some of my previous posts that I am a chronic back pain patient and this for over 35 years due to severe scoliosis. I have pain on three different levels with the acute pain attacks hitting randomly being the worst of the three. They vary from some hours to three days and needless to say I do not see the world as all wonderful and happy when undergoing a full attack. In fact I had an attack the evening after the recording ánd the day after. Luckily these heavier attacks disappear, to come back again, but at least it gives me some pause to recharge though it is often a very short break… I would be lying if I said that during such an attack I never thought: “Wouldn’t things be better if it all just ended?”, but I have never acted upon, in fact, those were millisecond thoughts, but still, they were there…it’s the pain you desperately want to end though, not your life, there is a, to me, very significant difference…I have a strong and loving husband and son, a cat giving little licks as if he feels when I need to be cheered up, caring family and friends, I try to focus on the things that bring me joy and positivity and that keep my mind distracted. However, through what I experience myself on a daily basis I think I can somehow relate how someone who is in constant pain, physically and/or emotionally, every minute of the day and who does not have someone or something to fall back on decides that enough is enough…The lyrics of #noodrem are very powerful, taken from real life and they might help you understand what someone having suicidal or mental health issues is going through.
Tough subject, right?!, Yes, well…it is after all Monday today 😉
Let’s throw in some light: pull the communication cord and pause, that is after all the message in #noodrem…
For my English-speaking followers who kept reading till this far, on a post about a Flemish song, big thank you…will try to give you an idea of what the song is about, so you get a general feeling of what they sing about when you click on the link below.
Where the verses try to captivate the struggle, sadness, desperation, the pain, that feeling of losing control, feeling of isolation, not being understood:
living every single day with this intense pain…
sorry for me pulling the communication cord…
The bridge and chorus on the other hand emphasise the hope, the lifeline, that ray of light how small it may be and, most important, knowing that asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of:
I’m alive…
there’s someone who cares…
(Parts freely translated from #noodrem, original Flemish lyrics ©Els de Schepper and Stefaan Fernande)
Above are some behind the scenes shots from last week’s recording day. We were welcomed and registered in by lovely Anneke, Els thanked us for our willingful participation and filled us in on the project, we got a glimpse of singer Barbara Dex and producer/director Dirk told us when it was a wrap 😉
Could not take pics inside the recording studio for obvious reasons, but studio and organisation kindly sent us all this group shot…for the curious ones, I am very hidden, on the second row, last one on the right side.
Now what you’ve all been waiting for, below is the song and clip. Feel free to share and if you’re thinking: “I don’t speak or understand Flemish, what’s the use?” Just remember: music is universal, caring about each other is universal, lending an ear, a hand, opening up your heart and giving a hug or some minutes of your time just might save someone’s life!
When sharing, and please do, please use #noodrem #ikleef (that means I’m alive) #1813 #zelfmoordlijn1813
When living in Flanders Belgium, thinking of suicide and in need of someone to talk to, you can find help with Zelfmoordlijn to be reached calling 1813 or through www.zelfmoord1813.be
(in Dutch that is) Denk je aan zelfmoord en heb je nood aan een gesprek, dan kan je terecht bij de Zelfmoordlijn op het nummer 1813 of via www.zelfmoord1813.be
When living outside Belgium, please check out local initiatives as actions are held worldwide today and give them your support or check how you can lend a hand and you are of course very welcome to share this post!
Watch here:
Very warm hug and heart to all of you
Ingrid
Xxx
The Back Road Chronicles 