Torrevieja Congress Urges Open, Responsible Conversation About Suicide

Mental health specialists meeting in Torrevieja have called for suicide to be discussed openly and responsibly, with greater emphasis on the support available to people in crisis.

The message was central to the fifth national congress of the Spanish Society of Suicidology, held at the city’s International Auditorium on Friday, 25 September. Under the theme “Diversity, Science and Comprehensive Prevention”, the event brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, educators and families to examine how suicidal behaviour can be prevented and how people affected can be supported.

One discussion focused on the influence of media coverage. Specialists contrasted the Werther effect—the risk associated with sensational or inappropriate reporting—with the Papageno effect, in which accounts of coping, help and recovery can encourage people to seek support. The central message was that silence is not the answer: careful reporting can show that alternatives and assistance exist.

The congress also examined the possible use of artificial intelligence in prevention, links between psychosis, substance use and suicide risk, intervention in the Armed Forces, and the effects of stigma on LGBTQ+ people. A session introduced the Valencian Community’s Acompaña service, which supports people affected by suicidal behaviour and their families. The programme concluded with a practical workshop on clinical assessment.

Figures presented in connection with the event put the scale of the challenge in context: 169 deaths by suicide were reported in Alicante province in 2025, compared with 176 in 2024. Jesús Mesones, head of psychiatry at Torrevieja University Hospital, highlighted particular concern for young people and the importance of early detection, continued care and family support.

Experts said pressures including bullying, trauma, depression and substance use can all contribute to vulnerability. Their appeal was for concerns to be taken seriously, for help to be accessible and for conversations about suicide to make clear that people do not have to face a crisis alone.

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