According to the data of the National Center of Mental Health, approximately 1000 people in Lithuania country commit a suicide every year. That makes it one of the highest risk (in committing suicides) countries not only in Europe, but in the entire world.
Suicidologists state that about 10 people in the closest circle of a person who committed suicide experience emotional and psychological trauma. Jurgita was unfortunate to experience 2 of her closest people end life this way.
After breaking the silence, Jurgita is speaking up for people of her fate and challenges the silence that often follows a suicide in the family. She believes that understanding of these feelings instead of hiding them can help to reduce Lithuania's troublingly high suicide rate.
What is the way out?
For the last decade Jurgita has been a well-known television presenter, actor and recently a social activist. She uses her popularity in Lithuania to talk about issues related to the suicides and openly shares her personal feelings.
Jurgita has a degree in Acting from Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater and a degree in Social Work from Vilnius University.
Jurgita Jurkute campaigns to encourage the women in Lithuania to achieve for emotional and personal growth through higher self esteem. She advocates for a necessity to find time for personal needs and be open to the help of others. Jurgita has joined minds and hands with the likeminded people to create a social space for women called Trys seserys (Three Sisters), a second-hand boutique that puts its profits towards the seminars with professionals meant to empower women.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
