Addressing Suicidal Tendencies to Prevent Suicides

«I had already written several novels for young people and kept asking myself what is relevant, what is current for boys and girls today, but I didn't have this topic on my radar at all,» says Martin Schäuble bluntly. We are talking about his book Alle Farben grau (All Colors Grey). In it, he tells the story of Paul, a boy who is smarter than his teachers, loves cats, learns Japanese and celebrates the music of the seventies. And the story of a boy with abysses that nobody suspects for a long time. At the age of 16, Paul takes his own life – when everyone thinks that a stay in a child and adolescent psychiatric ward would have turned things around. «He could do anything, only life was difficult for him,» says a classmate in the book at Paul's funeral. Paul's story is true and came to Schäuble via his parents. A mutual acquaintance put the boy's mother and father in touch with the author. «The two of them are coming to terms with the loss of their son by throwing themselves into the enlightenment, into breaking taboos, into prevention. Alle Farben grau is just one part of it. They are now doing this very professionally. They have founded a social enterprise, train teachers, parents and peers and raise awareness of mental illness in young people,» Schäuble explains. Because, as he also learned while researching his novel, 90 percent of all suicides are the result of mental illness, 75 percent of which begin in childhood and adolescence. This is why the boy's parents did not dedicate themselves to suicide prevention in the narrow sense, but to the early detection of mental illness, which is also possible for trained non-professionals. Paul suffered from the consequences of an autism spectrum disorder and, most recently, from severe depression. Both were only recognized two months before his death. Statistically speaking, every person in Germany knows someone with a mental illness. This is because there are a total of 18 million adults affected nationwide. For Schäuble, this was a key argument for taking on Paul's story and the literary treatment of it. For his book, he spoke to a psychologist, doctors and teachers. And with various people from Paul's environment. In addition to his parents, he spoke to friends, classmates, fellow patients from the child and adolescent psychiatric ward and his teachers. The book also tells Paul's story from all these different perspectives. One thing is immediately clear: that Paul took his own life. «It's important not to build up any suspense about this,» says author Schäuble. Because for him it's clear: «Anyone who sets out to deal with such material takes on a lot of responsibility.» Writers can do a lot wrong, but also a lot right, when they address suicide in a text.

Werther and Papageno

The press code requires restraint when reporting on suicides. This is because reporting alone can have a negative influence on people at risk of suicide. The connection between media coverage and the increase in the suicide rate, commonly known as the Werther effect, is countered by new findings from suicide research. The term Werther effect refers to the occurrence of a higher number of suicides following the publication of Goethe's novel The Sorrows of Young Werther in 1774. In 2018, a team of researchers from universities in Vienna, Munich and Leuven found that expert interviews on the topic of suicide prevention can reduce suicidal thoughts – regardless of whether the interviewees discuss their own experiences with suicidal tendencies in the article. The study by Benedikt Till and Thomas Niederkrotenthaler from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at the Center for Public Health at MedUni Vienna thus confirms what has long been known from suicide research: reporting on suicidality is all about the how. In the best-case scenario, information from other people with their own suicidal experiences can even reduce suicidal thoughts. The right words can trigger the search for help. Experts call this effect the Papageno effect – based on the protagonist in Mozart's musical comedy The Magic Flute, who believes he has lost his Papagena and therefore has suicidal thoughts. Papageno overcomes his crisis with the help of three boys who prevent him from committing suicide.

Writing about suicide

Schäuble begins on page one of his work with the incontrovertible fact that Paul has taken his own life. «If you're looking for thrills and want to keep asking yourself whether he will or won't, you're in the wrong place with Alle Farben grau. Because thrills also mean adrenaline and adrenaline can give you a kick that you like. But that's exactly what shouldn't happen in a book like this», explains the author. Apart from Paul's anticipated suicide, the story is told chronologically. And it doesn't end with Paul's death. It ends with Alina, a girl Paul meets in a psychiatric ward – a character invented for the novel. Just like Paul, Alina loves cats. She is in the psychiatric ward because she wants to «try something different» after two failed suicide attempts. Unlike Paul, Alina ultimately decides to live. She opens up to treatment, receives support and develops new courage and a new zest for life. «People like Alina are crucial for a book on the subject of suicidal tendencies. Death should never be presented as a solution, as a way out. There are people who see no other perspective, yes. But it takes characters who give hope, who manage to get out of the crisis», says author Schäuble. Also important for helpful literature on the subject: never describe the deed, name the method. Schäuble has found an original solution to this in his book. At the point where Paul takes his own life, a black page appears in the book. Nothing else. A whole page - black. In doing so, he automatically averts the danger of trivializing, romanticizing or heroizing suicide. According to Schäuble, these are all things that should be avoided at all costs.

Important assistance

Despite all the care taken, the book has a hard time finding its way into classrooms. «I am very often invited to give readings in schools. However, my other publications are more in demand than Alle Farben grau. There is an incredible amount of shyness around the subject. Suicide is treated as if it were contagious», Schäuble reports on his experiences. Students, on the other hand, are very interested in the book. When Schäuble does make it into the classroom with Alle Farben grau, the impetus usually comes from the young people. The reading and the subsequent processing of the book in class are extensively prepared. Together with a psychologist, Schäuble has written a letter to parents, which mothers, fathers and other guardians receive before their children read the book. The letter is intended to highlight the importance of the topic, ease concerns and highlight opportunities. School social workers or counselors are always present at the readings themselves to intercept and support potential crises. And anyone who is afraid of being triggered by the topic can of course stay away from the reading. The teaching materials have also been developed in cooperation with psychologists, psychiatrists and teachers. The intense preoccupation with the topic has also changed Schäuble's view of children and young people. He is the father of three sons himself and now looks at his boys differently. «If, for example, one of our children displays absolutely frustrating behavior that would normally drive everyone nuts, I now try not to be annoyed myself, but first assume that there is some reason and try to get to the bottom of it», reports Schäuble. He recently took the eight-month online course on mental illness in adolescence, which Paul's parents set up with the help of their foundation. «That was a real change of perspective», says Schäuble. Like the courses, his book is also aimed at parents, teachers, educators, trainers and other people who regularly deal with children and young people. “The category of youth book doesn't really apply. The topic is presented in such a way that it can be helpful to anyone who is close to children and young people. And it is unfortunately so big that I hope as many people as possible have the courage to tackle it», appeals Schäuble.