Overview
- The Social Ministry reported 44,272 calls and nearly 2,000 chats to counseling services in Saxony last year.
- The highest volumes were recorded at Dresden (9,575), Oberlausitz (8,372) and Vogtland (7,671) centers.
- The data were disclosed in the ministry’s answer to a query by Die Linke legislator Susanne Schaper in the state parliament.
- The ministry said there are no standardized statistics on call duration or precise causes, though provider reports cite loneliness, isolation, depressive moods, emotional stress, physical ailments, family tensions, anxiety, neighbor disputes and suicidal thoughts.
- Schaper urges permanent funding for helplines and stronger public-health prevention, and proposes low-cost community steps such as ‘chat benches’ and more support for volunteers, noting Saxony’s comparatively high suicide rates.