#Americans can call or text this number if they or someone they know needs a #counselor to listen or point them to additional resources

#Americans can call or text this number if they or someone they know needs a #counselor to listen or point them to additional resources.

#988. THAT’S THE new number anyone in #America can call or text for help if they feel suicidal or experience #mentaldistress. You’re not alone. Millions of #Americans think about #suicide every year according to the #CenterforDiseaseControl. Reach out for help, no matter how depressed or isolated you feel.

You can also reach out to #988 if you are experiencing a #substanceuse-related crisis. When contacting the #988SuicideandCrisisLifeline, a counselor will listen to what you’re going through. The #counselors may talk with you about strategies to feel better and help you find additional resources.

In addition to calling and texting the hotline, you can access a browser-based chat for help on your computer. Military #veterans and Spanish speakers who contact the #988 number have the option to be rerouted to a crisis line that provides specialized support. You can reach the #VeteransCrisisLine directly by texting 838255.

I spoke with Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, the assistant secretary for #mentalhealth and #substanceuse at the #UnitedStates Department of Health and Human Services, to find out what someone can expect when contacting #988 for the first time. “They can expect to be connected with a trained #counselor who is compassionate and who will be there with them,” she says. “Someone who is present and speaks with them about what they’re experiencing.”

It’s OK to reach out to the #SuicideandCrisisLifeline if you are not personally experiencing #mentaldistress but are concerned about the well-being of a friend or family member and need help deescalating a frightening situation.

Delphin-Rittmon says, “We want people to know that support is available if they’re struggling or know somebody who’s struggling. They don’t need to struggle alone; they can reach out. There’s support and trained #counselors available to help.”

The old number for the federal hotline—1-800-273-8255—remains active and reroutes calls to the #988 service. Transitioning to a shorter number helps people remember the free service and know who to contact if they ever think about #suicide.

During rare cases when in-person intervention is necessary, the support #counselor may dispatch #police. With that in mind, the #988 hotline could be a lifesaver for communities concerned about #police violence and hesitant to call #911 for #mentalhealth support. After contacting 988, the vast majority of people will not have any interaction with the #police.

#Queer #youth in distress can reach out to the #TrevorProject for help. Call 1-866-488-7386, text START to 678-678, or reach out through the webchat. Due to marginalization, it’s common for young members of the #LGBTQ+ community to experience #mentaldistress, and there is no shame in reaching out for help. According to the #TrevorProject’s latest survey concerning #LGBTQ #Youth #MentalHealth in #America, around 45 percent of #queer people ages 13 to 24 have considered #suicide.

Any #trans person who needs support and wants to have a conversation with someone who understands their unique experience can call the #TransLifeline at 877-565-8860. You do not need to openly identify as #trans to call. This lifeline won’t contact the #police or other outside services without your explicit consent.

If you are #Black, #NativeAmerican, neurodivergent, or a mother experiencing postpartum #depression, visit the #988 hotline’s website to find more resources and outside services. Extra resources are also available on the website for #suicideattempt survivors and loss survivors.

#James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleOrder your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife:From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
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