The number’s offers of help against grief received more than 120,000 inquiries last year. The children and young people were primarily concerned with topics such as mental illness, the relationship with their parents, loneliness, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, as the sponsoring association announced on Tuesday. Adult callers most often wanted to talk about the relationship with the child, excessive demands and problems with their partner or former partner. The Helpline Ukraine was called a total of 1,225 times in 2023.
Compared to 2022, in which there were a total of around 121,000 inquiries, the number fell slightly last year. In total, the association has recorded more than five million consultations in more than 40 years.
The number against grief is aimed at children, young people and parents who want to talk about their everyday problems or are in a difficult phase of life. “With us, family members can relieve themselves in a personal conversation. These are not carefree times we are currently living in,” says Anna Zacharias, managing director of the association.
The advice is anonymous and free of charge, and referrals will be made to other help centers upon request. The consultants are specially trained and work predominantly on a voluntary basis. The hotline is often the first contact for those affected with the psychosocial support system.
According to the association, slightly more boys than girls used the hotline last year, but girls made up the majority of advice via chat or email. Most of the young people seeking help were between eleven and 18 years old. Among adults, women between the ages of 30 and 44 were the most likely to call. Adolescents can call the number against grief from Monday to Saturday between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. (116 111). You can also get advice on the Internet (www.nummergegenkummer.de).