Emergency in Dresden

January 15, 2013 4:13 PM

A friend's friend announced suicide, and we think there is a good chance she may mean it. She is in Dresden, Germany, we are in ROmania, and we cannot find a relevant emergency phone number that can be called from abroad or any other way to help. Can you help? Do you know what we could do?

The police has already been there tonight and they judged that it was safe to leave her alone (neighbours called them in). Their number was the only one we managed to find, but our discussion with them didn't leave us confident with regard to their comptenece in this situation. After they were at her flat, my (Romanian) friend got another message saying goodbye. Since then, German friend of friend isn't answering her phone any more. We are very worried, my friend is in tears, fearing that German friend has already done something irreversible. What can we do?

posted by miorita to human relations (10 answers total)

I am on the other side of the world, so no direct advice, But does this friend have Facebook?

You could post a message to her wall saying you are very worried and if anyone is in the area could they call or go round and check on her?

That will only take a minute and then you are still free to try and get some other emergency help.

I'm so sorry, I hope all turns out to be ok and she gets help.
posted by Youremyworld at 4:16 PM on January 15

Try one of these?

International Helpline Berlin
Postfach 580251
10412
BERLIN
Contact by: - Phone
Hotline: 6-12pm English service: 030-44 01 06 07
Hotline: Russian service: 030-44 01 06 06
Website: international-helpline.com

Telefonseelsorge Deutschland
National
Hotline: [phone]
Hotline: [phone]
Website: telefonseelsorge.org
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:18 PM on January 15

The European emergency number is 112. You can call 112 from anywhere in the EU. I would call them and say you think the situation may have escalated since the police were there.
posted by young sister beacon at 4:21 PM on January 15 [1 favorite]

Dresden Police Station
posted by tel3path at 4:23 PM on January 15

Dresden:
Psychosozialer Dienst für Menschen in Krisen [Psychosocial Service for People in Crisis]
0351-4885341

They're probably closed (useful, I know). Telefonseelsorge may be the best 24-hour option.
posted by hoyland at 4:27 PM on January 15

Thank you so much for your answers - we managed to convince the police to go back there - they;re gonna know more in half an hour (we needed them to be on board because my friend L. doesn't have the address - she's moved recently). We're gonna leave her supporting messages on all means of communication, try to get her to get in touch with the Telefonseelsorge people (the number cannot be accessed from outside of Germany, but it will very useful once the current crisis is over).

Thank you for the EU emergency number - good to know for the future, though I hope never necessary. THanks for D. police station no. - they are now again on their way to her.
posted by miorita at 4:30 PM on January 15

If you read German, Dresden's urgent services brochure (last two pages). It looks like you're meant to phone Telefonseelsorge or Telefon des Vertrauens when the Psychosozialen Kriesendienst is shut.

Telefon des Vertrauens
täglich 17-23 Uhr
0351-8041616
posted by hoyland at 4:30 PM on January 15

We just spoke to the police again - they were there and the situation is under control (whatever that means). We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Thank you so much to everyone who answered - we will try to talk to these people tomorrow, see if they have any advice (German friend is stubborn and may well refuse to look them up herself, at least initially).

Any post-immediate-crisi advice is very welcome, too - such as how to get a really reluctant person into therapy, when they clearly need it. How to get someone to see a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. But also - how much can you do for someone in this situation? This is for my friend, who feels responsible, afraid, and somehow in grief.

Thank you all again...
posted by miorita at 5:13 PM on January 15

I'm glad you got the police to check in again and I hope everything remains stable. It may be easier if you can locate some of her friends who live closer to her. It sounds like the neighbors are involved, which is a good starting point. Do you guys know of any of her other local friends and/or can you find them on her Facebook? Letting them know that you guys are concerned too, though from a distance, and talking with them about their observations and actions might help everyone involved.

Someone may want to attempt make contact with her family as well. I obviously don't know the situation and can't say whether it's actually going to be a good idea in this case (for instance, her family may be abusive or even the cause of some of her distress) or whether you can find them, but it may be the best way to help protect her safety and to get her additional help. Others here may have better advice about this topic, but you might want to discuss this among her mutual friends if necessary.
posted by zachlipton at 6:29 PM on January 15

Thank you very much to everyone who answered, the situation was resolved OK, and the more general circumstances which led to the above crisis are under control now, it seems, enough to hopefully not require further emergency action. Having complete strangers around the globe offer their support was tremendously helpful to my friend, who felt completely overwhelmed with the situation.

I'll mark this as resolved, thank you again.
posted by miorita at 8:21 AM on January 28