Crisis Counselors Share How To Reach Out To Loved Ones During a Pandemic
Words by Fabliha Hussain
Graphic by Aspasia Celia Tsampas
TW: Suicide, suicide prevention, mental illness
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and according to the Jason Foundation, it is the second leading cause of death for people aged 10-24 in the United States. The phenomenon of suicide typically follows prolonged feelings of hopelessness; those who choose to end their lives do not believe there is any potential in their life getting better and decide that suicide is their only real escape from their negative feelings. Despite these beliefs and the statistics, which suggest that rates of suicide are too large to mitigate, suicide is preventable and often comes with warning signs. It can be difficult to start a conversation about mental health with someone, but simply sitting there and talking to a person can make a huge difference.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing, and the semester beginning, the mental health of many people has taken a toll. Feeling connected with others is harder than ever when social distancing is required for everyone’s safety, resulting in high levels of loneliness. Depression, trauma, and anxiety are also common effects of the pandemic on the mental health of people. Having school online adds on to the stress for many who have bad living situations, lack stable Internet connection, and struggle to focus at home. Being overwhelmed by the assignments and work required from every class makes it more difficult to have time for self-care. For these reasons, it is imperative to check on friends, family, and loved ones and reach out as needed.
If someone is showing signs of impulsive behavior, increased substance abuse, mood swings, withdrawal from others, or is acting different from their usual, then they could be at-risk of suffering from a mental illness or considering suicide. Christine Dickinson, a Crisis Counselor at Crisis Text Line (CTL), urges people to reach out and to ask about suicide, but to also reconsider saying committing suicide. “Using the c-word perpetuates the stereotype [of committing a crime] and condemns them rather than treating them with compassion.” The phrase is considered outdated and stigmatizing towards those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts, and counselors at CTL urge people to reconsider how they talk about suicide. Starting a conversation about suicide, however, is necessary.
A common myth about suicide is that talking to someone about suicide plants the idea in their head. A person who is struggling may already have self-destructive thoughts or participate in life-threatening behavior and talking to them about these thoughts and emotions can provide them with an outlet to express themselves in a healthy manner. If they have not thought about it previously, discussing whether they had will not encourage them to end their life. As long as one is not mentioning specific methods of carrying out suicide, such a discussion is perfectly safe and encouraged. Another common myth concerning suicide is that if someone plans to kill themselves, then there is nothing anyone else can do about it. This is false. Suicide is one of the most preventable causes of death because most people who attempt it do not necessarily want to die. They just want their pain to end, leading to self-destructive and life-threatening acts.
Starting a conversation about suicide can be difficult. When talking to someone about such a sensitive topic, express support and concern. Do not argue with them about whether suicide is right or wrong. Be patient. Do not be afraid to ask whether they have a plan to end their life, and ask simple, direct questions calmly. Support them by trying to help them create a safety plan with coping mechanisms that they can use. Most importantly, urge them to seek professional help by connecting them with trained personnel because oftentimes, topics such as suicide and mental health can be a lot to handle for everyone involved. During these times, mental health is taking a hit and it becomes important to raise awareness about topics such as suicide. Taking the time to reach out to someone you are concerned about and help them get the support and help they need can make all the difference between saving a life and losing a loved one.
To those who are struggling, you are not alone. You are not a burden. It can be hard to find someone to talk to and sometimes, it feels like there is no one to talk to. It might be scary to talk to a stranger about what is going on in your life, but your life matters, your feelings matter, and you matter. It can be difficult for many people to understand what you are going through or to respond properly in the way that you need and deserve. Do not let this stop you from getting help for yourself. Reach out to the following free resources to connect with someone who is specifically trained to help you.
RESOURCES:
★ Crisis Text Line: text 741741 to get connected with a free, trained Crisis Counselor
★ National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255; https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
★ National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 800-950-NAMI
★ The Trevor Project (specifically for LGBTQ+ community): 866-488-7386
★ The JED Foundation: 1-800-273-TALK; https://www.jedfoundation.org/mental-health-resource-center/recommended-resources/
★ American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): https://afsp.org/suicide-prevention-resources
★ #seizetheawkward: https://seizetheawkward.org/learn/resources
Image courtesy of crisistextline.org
