Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention states that about 45,000 people in the U.S. lose their lives by suicide in one year.
Despite the statistics, approximately 40% of Americans don’t receive treatment for their mental state. According to researchers, shame is one of the reasons why individuals don’t look around for help.
If you know someone who is having thoughts about suicide, below is are hotlines where you can ask for immediate help.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
The lifeline has over 150 local centers. They offer free and private emotional support 24/7 for those having suicidal thoughts. You can contact them at 800-273-8255, or chat with them at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/.
Crisis Text Line
You can message the Crisis Text line through texting. They offer support to people in crisis 24/7. Since mid-year of 2013, over 70 million messages have been reciprocated. You can contact them by texting HOME to the number 741741, and by visiting their website at https://www.crisistextline.org/
The Veterans Crisis Line
This is a free and confidential resource centre that offers supports for individuals in crisis. You can text, chat, or call to talk to qualified responders who hail from the Department of Veterans Affairs. You can reach them on 800-273-8255 and the press 1 or text on 838255. You can also visit their website on www.veteranscrisisline.net
Don’t hesitate to seek assistance from the hotlines mentioned above before worse comes to worst.