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 …read more

Well, this is an interesting new take on suicide prevention.
According to Byron L. Lam, M.D. of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, and his colleagues, “improved treatments of visual impairment and factors causing poor health could potentially reduce suicide risk.”
This news comes to me via Science Daily article Visual Impairment May Be Associated With Higher Suicide Risk, but the findings came to Lam and colleagues after a study (supported by grants from the National Eye Institute and the National Institute on Occupational Safety and Health) that reviewed data from national health surveys taken between the years …read more