If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988Lifeline.org. 988 connects you with a trained crisis counselor who can help.

&Wellness

Answer the call! The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network is made up of over 200 centers answering calls, chats, and texts from people in crisis.

These centers are looking for empathetic volunteers, employees, and interns to serve as crisis counselors. You will receive training, so if you are a caring person who wants to help those in crisis, apply today. Find your opportunity:

samhsa.gov/find-help/988/jobs

Mental Health Matters too. When you’re struggling and in crisis and text 988, your trained counselor will listen, support, and share resources.

A person in crisis is a family in crisis is a community in crisis. You can be a lifeline. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org/chat/

if you or someone you know needs support.

988 Fact: When you reach out to 988, the 988 Lifeline crisis counselor knows only your phone number if you call or text, or your IP address if you use chat. What you say about yourself is your choice.

Let’s spread hope! The 988 Lifeline helps thousands of people overcome suicidal crisis or mental-health distress every day. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org if you or someone you know needs support.

If you’re in crisis, there are options available to help you cope. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at any time to connect with a trained crisis counselor. For confidential support available 24/7 for everyone in the U.S., call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org

Follow

Crisis Text Line
7️⃣ 4️⃣ 1️⃣ 7️⃣ 4️⃣ 1️⃣

Send a text, save a life. Add the Crisis Text Line to your phone now–it could save a life later. Text “HELLO” to 741741 in the United States to be connected to a Crisis Counselor over text message.

Myth1: Talking about suicide increases the chance one will act on it.

Fact: Talking about suicide may reduce, rather than increase, suicidal ideation. It improves mental health outcomes and the likelihood that the person will seek treatment.
Starting this conversation may help people find alternative views of existing circumstances.
So, if someone is in crisis or depressed, don't hesitate to start the conversation. Please ASK

Myth 2: People who talk about suicide are seeking attention.

Fact: People who die from suicide have often told someone about not wanting to live anymore or not seeing a future. It's always important to take seriously anybody who talks about feeling suicidal. It's important to be kind & sensitive, and ask questions such as: "Are you thinking about hurting yourself?" "Are you thinking about suicide?" or "Do you have access to weapons or things that can be used as weapons to harm yourself?"

Myth 3: Suicide can't be prevented.

Fact: Suicide is preventable but unpredictable. Most people who contemplate suicide, often experience intense emotional pain, and hopelessness and have a negative view of life or the future. Suicide is a product of genes, mental health illnesses, and environmental risk factors. Interventions targeted to treat psychiatric and substance use illnesses could save lives.

Myth 4: People who take their own lives are selfish, cowards or weak.

Fact: People do not die of suicide by choice. Often, people who die of suicide experience significant emotional pain and find it difficult to consider different views or see a way out of their situation. Even though the reasons behind suicide are quite complex, frequently suicide is associated with psychiatric illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and substance use.

Myth 5: Barriers to bridges, safe firearm storage and other actions to reduce access to lethal methods of suicide don't work.

Fact: Limiting access to lethal means, such as firearms, is one of the simplest strategies to decrease the chances of suicide. Many suicide attempts are a result of impulsive decisions. Therefore, separating someone from a lethal means could provide a person some time to think before doing harm to themselves.

Myth 6: Suicide always occurs without warning.

Fact: There are almost always warning signs before a suicide attempt.

Here are a few common
signs:

One of the most important things I did this year was to become a Mental Health First Aid Instructor. During that process, I had the privilege of meeting Kevin Hines and hearing his story. What an INSPIRATION and breath of fresh air. He makes it clear that it is a FIGHT every single day. Just WOW!

Kevin Hines Survived a Jump Off The Golden Gate Bridge—Now, He's Helping Others Avoid Suicide

psycom.net/kevin-hines-survive

Contains Suicide or Self-Harm Topics Show more

Hope everyone is doing well. Thought I'd share a few resources for those of us who may need a little extra help to make it through the holidays. It's okay to NOT be okay and it's always a good idea to ask for help if things get too tough.

How's it going? Just checking, you never know. 🤗 🤗 🤗 Me, oh I'm 💛 Kind of concerned about the weather, trying to rethink some stuff, and someone in my community was killed in a domestic dispute this week. Nevertheless 💛

Is it just the 'winter blues' or seasonal affective disorder (SAD)? This infographic may help guide you on when to seek professional help.

Prioritize your in 2023. Your 🤗 Mental health is just as important as physical health. Good mental health helps you cope with stress and can improve your quality of life. Get tips and from NIMH to help take care of your mental health.

nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/car

Everyone feels sad or low sometimes, but these feelings usually pass with a little time. Depression is different. Learn the different types of depression, signs and symptoms, how it is diagnosed, treatment options, and how to find help.

nimh.nih.gov/health/publicatio

Not everyone who is depressed experiences every symptom. Some people experience only a few symptoms while others may experience many. Learn more about the signs and symptoms:

nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/dep

Being a teenager can be tough, but it shouldn’t feel hopeless. Check your symptoms, and find out what you can do if you think you might have depression.

nimh.nih.gov/health/publicatio

Do you need help with your mental health? If you don't know where to start, this infographic may help guide you. For more information and resources visit:

nimh.nih.gov/health/publicatio

As the need for providing virtual mental health care services has increased, providers are finding ways to use phone and videoconferencing technology to bring therapy, evaluations, interventions, and medication management to individuals where they are.

Research suggests that telemental health services can be effective for many people.

nimh.nih.gov/health/publicatio

Mental Health Minute: Anxiety Disorders in Adults: Got 60 seconds? Take a mental health minute to watch this video about anxiety disorders in adults.

youtu.be/UjPRVKS4OBg

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@LSWellesley you are most welcome 🤗 glad you find it of value.

@nursefrombirth

If you’re not attuned to the signs, it’s likely to seem “without warning”. In my limited experience with families of suicides, there’s also often a deniability that clouds the issue.

@Luber905 yes, recognizing signs is important When you speak of denial are you referring to denial from the person contemplating suicide, the family, or both?

@nursefrombirth

Oh the family!

I’ve heard more than once something like, “yes we saw (behaviour/behaviours) but didn’t think they were actually that bad”. Or “now that I look back, I realize that actually meant something more than I thought”.

@Luber905 Yes, that is frequently the case. They say hindsight is 20/20 but we need to learn to pay more attention to one another so that our foresight is equally as sharp.

@nursefrombirth 💛/💚 depending on how distracted I can keep myself.

@knomia thanks for sharing. I found a website called To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) there are quite a few things here in the self-care section that are very helpful when we begin to struggle. Hope you find it helpful. 🤗 🤗 🤗 Here if you need me.

twloha.com/self-care/

@nursefrombirth

Thank you. You are sharing important mental health info. 😊

@nursefrombirth Just from the graphic "Talk to a provider". Is mental health treatment widely covered by employer-offered insurance plans in the US? I have what is widely thought of as good health coverage through the union contract, but mental health coverage is pretty minimal. Getting help can be a major obstacle to actually obtaining care. Thanks for posting, this is a huge issue!

@Ironworker229 Yes, mental health treatment is usually covered by health insurance. As part of the ACA, insurers are required to cover “Essential Health Benefits.” which include behavioral/mental health care such as therapy and counseling. Since this has NOT always been the case, many people are not aware that insurers cover mental health services.

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