The green signs are part of a mental health campaign designed to provide support to those in emotional distress.
The signs will be placed on all of Warsaw’s bridges, as well as on pedestrian and bicycle overpasses, with over 80 planned in total. The project is a response to the increasing number of suicide attempts on city bridges, which have risen in recent years.
"In 2022, there were 24 suicide attempts on bridges, and in 2023, there were 34—a 30% increase," said Aldona Machnowska-Góra, Warsaw's Deputy Mayor.
The helpline numbers listed on the signs offer round-the-clock support, available 24/7, for individuals in crisis.
The idea for the signs was proposed by Karol Bąkowski and funded through Warsaw's 2024 Civic Budget. Bąkowski emphasized the importance of offering various forms of help, particularly for young people facing emotional struggles. "Any attempt to engage in dialogue about prevention and therapy can be life-saving," he said.
Psychologist Tomasz Kozłowski explained that seeing a sign like this could encourage someone in distress to seek help. "It might stop not only someone who has already decided to jump but also someone just passing by who is contemplating it," he noted.
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Source: TVP3 Warszawa