Advice

Within the limits of the possibilities available to the association, “Dignitas – To live with dignity – To die with dignity” counsels its members and also non-members in regard to all end-of-life issues and in difficult circumstances of life. Anyone may get in touch with DIGNITAS, no matter what their reason.

Advice and support include guidance on health care advance directives (advance decisions), directing people at an acute risk of suicide towards crisis intervention centres, giving guidance on palliative care, providing information about other helping organisations as well as expert medical doctors, etc.

If risky lonely suicide attempts with their dire consequences are to be prevented, suicide as such has to be accepted at a fundamental level. The taboo surrounding the issue – the wall of fear of embarrassment, rejection and losing one’s independence – has to be lifted.

DIGNITAS focuses on giving advice adapted to the individual situation. For further details, please refer to the brochure “Aims – Philosophy – Activities of Dignitas” (PDF).

The common denominator for anyone doing such advisory work should be:

1. break the taboo (PDF) surrounding suffering, suicide and death;
2. be there and listen;
3. take people seriously;
4. talk openly and honestly with them;
5. do not shunt them into the “mentally-ill corner” or stigmatise them in any other way;
6. talk in a fact-orientated way, especially about suicide and the high risks of “clandestine“ suicide attempts; and
7. provide advice in a comprehensive and open-outcome manner, that is in all directions.
   

This approach can be applied to all people seeking information and help, no matter whether they are perfectly healthy, suffering from a physical or an emotional problem, or facing death.

Practical and legal advice for the healthy, anyone who is suffering, the relatives and friends of (suffering) individuals, medical professionals, and, of course, guidance for suicidal individuals takes up a large part of DIGNITAS’ resources.