U.S. Suicide Help Calls Rising

Suicide prevention hotlines are busier than usual since the economy has taken a tailspin, say experts. Unfortunately, the economic downturn has also resulted in cutbacks, from grants to charitable donations, which may directly affect these much-needed suicide prevention services. As a result, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is stepping up to provide emergency cash to help through these times.

Suicide and attempted suicides affect more people than you might realize, and when the economic downturn results in upheavals, such as lost jobs and homes, the numbers rise. According to a SAMHSA press release,

“This is a critical situation – calls into suicide crisis centers have substantially increased during the past year – 54,054 calls in the last recorded month alone — with between 20 to 30 percent of calls being specifically linked to economic distress,” said SAMHSA Acting Administrator, Eric Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H. “These funds will help provide desperately needed assistance to those on the front lines, responding to this urgent public health need.”

Suicide is a permanent solution answer to a temporary problem and that’s what economic crisis are. No-one is saying it’s easy to get through this type of crisis, but it is do-able.

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• In the United States, please call 1-800-273-TALK if you feel yourself sliding to the edge and considering suicide.
• In Canada, check out the Centre for Suicide Prevention to find what number you should call.
• In the United Kingdom, Suicide.org lists numbers for you.
• Australia’s Suicide.org lists their prevention organizations as well, as does New Zealand’s Suicide.org.
• Internationally, for a list of many other countries and their help lines, go to Worldwide Suicide Crisis Hotlines.

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Photo courtesy PhotoXpress.com