A fiercely passionate suicide prevention activist becomes Karlstad University’s alumnus of the year in 2021. Marie Niljung, an entrepreneur with a mission to change attitudes around mental health and save lives, will receive the award at a ceremony later this fall. She believes that we know what to do to prevent psychological accidents, but we fail to act on it.
Marie Niljung, author, speaker, HR consultant, and social innovator, studied the Personnel and Work Life Program at Karlstad University and became the driving force behind life-saving efforts. Her experiences as an HR and rehabilitation consultant provided her with a platform to build a strong entrepreneurial career, but her motivation also stems from a darker chapter in her life.
She has firsthand experience with loved ones who took their own lives—both her parents followed that path. Her life’s mission is to spread awareness and encourage open conversations about mental health and suicide, or as Marie prefers to call it, “psychological accidents.”
– It’s my life mission to change attitudes around mental health and save lives. I was recently called a suicide prevention activist because I’m so frustrated and deeply tired of our lack of action. It’s not enough for government agencies and nonprofit organizations to talk about it; we must take more concrete steps. That’s why I believe the business sector needs to be involved in suicide prevention. It’s everyone’s responsibility.
Fear and ignorance hold us back Marie believes that fear and lack of knowledge are barriers. She has often said that if she had known what she knows today, her parents wouldn’t have died by suicide.
– I don’t feel guilty for what I didn’t know back then. What’s done is done. We need to debunk the myths surrounding suicide and have candid conversations. If you’re worried about someone, talk to them. Dare to ask direct questions, and most importantly, listen to their answers. You can’t respond to a seventeen-year-old saying, ‘I don’t want to live anymore’ with shock and say, ‘You can’t say that!’ and then try to silence this distressing topic. My mantra is to listen, ask, and take action. The will to live is always there.
Early intervention is key, according to Marie. Those closest to someone struggling must have the tools and knowledge to intervene. Mental first aid is just as crucial as CPR, but we must remove the shame and guilt associated with it and discuss it as openly as we do with heart attacks or strokes.
The awakening of an entrepreneur Marie started as a chef but eventually became a student in the Personnel and Work Life Program at Karlstad University. She worried that university studies would be too difficult, but she soon realized it was a myth. After her studies, she worked as a case officer at the Social Insurance Agency and later as a rehabilitation consultant in various municipalities. In 2014, she became involved with Suicide Zero, where she volunteered and worked until 2018.
Gradually, she felt the entrepreneur within her awaken, and in 2018, she fully embraced being her own boss. Today, she is an author, speaker, HR consultant, and social innovator.
An app that equips for life In spring 2021, the Lumeno app was launched—a digital companion for mental health. Based on the book “Handbook for Life Fighters,” written by Filippa Gagnér Jenneteg, Susanne Tell, and Jan Beskow, Lumeno aims to help those struggling to better monitor their well-being and find hope even in challenging times. Lumeno has been nominated for the 2021 Swedish Design Award, which will be announced on October 14.
Regarding the Alumnus of the Year award, Marie says:
– It’s validation that what I do matters and that we don’t always have to follow the conventional path. There are alternative ways to make a difference. It feels like winning a gold medal at the Olympics!
Motivation For her long-standing commitment and outstanding work in prioritizing mental health and preventing psychological accidents, as well as her innovative efforts to save lives, Marie Niljung is truly deserving of this honor.
