Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the U.S. In 2020 alone, the U.S. had one death by suicide every 11 minutes, and suicide attempts for the same time period are estimated at 1.2 million.
On July 16th the nationwide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, will be made live. Anyone experiencing mental health related distress, whether that is thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis or any other kind of emotional distress will be able to call or text for help. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who many need crisis support. It will be operational 24/7, be free, and confidential. Trained crisis counselors will be available to quickly respond in multiple languages through the call feature. Text will only be available for the time being in English.
If you, or someone you know, is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 for assistance starting July 16, 2022. Prior to July 16, assistance is still available through the national Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.
Sources:
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline | SAMHSA
The Intersection of 911 and 988: Decriminalizing Mental Health Crises – The Health Care Blog
