12% rise in calls and emails to Befrienders KL

We are all going through something that most have never experienced before, and the effects of the pandemic will be long-lasting and continuous.

MORE people in distress have been reaching out to Befrienders Kuala Lumpur this year compared with last year.

There’s been a 12% spike in the number of calls, emails and people contacting the non-profit organisation for support – from an average of 3,375 a month last year to 3,779 a month this year so far. And 34% of those who reached out expressed suicidal feelings, says Befrienders KL publicity director Ardy Ayadali.

“The pandemic has been going on for some time now. We are all going through something that most have never experienced before, and its effects will be long-lasting and continuous.

“Even though the vaccination programme is moving quickly, and more businesses are allowed to operate, the end of this nightmare is still nowhere in sight.

“The number of cases, especially deaths, is still very high. So it’s likely that the number of distressed people will continue to increase,” he tells Sunday Star.

Between January and August this year, Befrienders KL received 30,238 calls, emails and contacts from people in need of a listening ear. Ardy says the top three issues raised involved mental health, relationships and family problems.

With Section 309 of the Penal Code still making attempted suicide a crime in Malaysia, Befrienders KL believes that decriminalising the act is the right step to take. Ardy says this will allow more to be willing to step forward and seek help instead of feeling trapped in fear – knowing that a failed attempt might land them in jail or fined.

“The fact that attempted suicide is treated as a criminal offense continues to mask the real issue behind why these attempts happen in the first place.

“The authorities may be worried that repealing the law might cause an increase in suicide cases.

“But the fact of the matter is suicide is preventable if we have the right approach and measures in place,” Ardy says, adding it’s worrying that, based on police statistics, most suicides involve youths aged between 15 and 18.

He stresses that people struggling with mental health issues deserve the dignity of treatment instead of being charged under the law.

“With proper help, guidance and, most importantly, emotional support, they can be saved.

“Allowing conversations about suicide and mental health can also create more awareness and destigmatise these issues,” he says.

He says that it doesn’t take much to help others who may be suffering in silence and World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept 10 is the perfect time to reach out to someone who might be struggling.

Ardy says many often have the perception that people around them are doing fine.

“Take the time to talk to them, and encourage them to open up. With the right approach, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to get someone to pour out their soul to you.

“Listen to them nonjudgmentally, do not ridicule them and be empathetic,” he says.

If they open up and talk about their suicidal intentions, don’t panic, Ardy advises.

“Encourage them to get professional help, or talk to the Befrienders.

“The fact that you are there with them shows that someone does care for them, and it might take away some of their loneliness and feeling of isolation,” he says.

Ardy reminds the public that when someone wants to end their lives, what they really want is to end the pain that they are experiencing inside.

“We might not be able to solve their problems, but we can be there for them, and lessen that pain that they are experiencing,” he says.

Reach Befrienders Kuala Lumpur at 03-7627 2929 or go to befrienders.org.my/ centre-in-malaysia for a full list of numbers nationwide and operating hours, or email [e-mail].