Travelling exhibition focuses on mental health issues

On Wednesday, Health Minister Lydia Mutsch presented the “A|Normal” travelling exhibition to the press, which will run through July 29 at the Health Ministry.

The exhibition’s aim is to raise general awareness and inform the public on the subject of mental illness.

In Luxembourg in 2014, 85 people took their own lives. The number dropped slightly in 2015 to 81, but the number of suicide attempts is higher by tenfold.

Organised by the “Centre d’Information et de Prévention, the exhibition is part of the national plan for suicide prevention which has seen “generally good progress,” according to Minister Mutsch.

On a more positive note, within two years, 435 people have participated in training courses to deal with suicidal crises. Training is especially important, as it helps nurses, caregivers, school staff and others the tools to help recognise early signs in suicidal individuals.

Through the free ” A|Normal” exhibition, visitors can get more information about mental illnesses and learn about individual patient experiences, as well as how to maintain a healthy mental state in daily life.

Following its duration in Luxembourg, the exhibition will go on tour.