988 is the new Mental Health Crisis line that went live last Saturday. By calling this 3-digit number, there is instant access to mental health crisis counselors. Just as you would call 911 for physical health concerns, 988 is for mental health concerns.
This is a huge step forward towards free, private, confidential help in a crisis. This means no one has to go through a mental health crisis without someone to help by calling 988. This is a major step forward in that – most people never access the help when it is most needed, which can be fatal.
The number of suicides in this country is shocking. To give that statement credence, there are two suicides for every homicide in this nation. We are inundated by the number of homicides daily, yet we don’t talk about the people that die by suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Leading Causes of Death Reports, in 2020: Suicide was the 12th leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of over 45,900 people.
Suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10-14 and 25-34. There were nearly two times as many suicides (45,979) in the United States as there were homicides (24,576). The hope is that number can and will be reduced with the introduction of the national 988 mental health, substance abuse, and suicide crisis line.
A staggering 43% of U.S. adults who say they needed substance use or mental health care in the past 12 months did not receive that care, and numerous barriers to access stand between them and needed treatment, according to a new national survey by The Harris Poll on behalf of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The hope is the 988-call line will breach that gap.
“Hope has a new number and it is 9-8-8. This historic transition to 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline will promote help seeking and increase awareness and accessibility to this life-saving resource. The 988 Lifeline is a vital mental health safety net for all in this country,” Kimberly Williams, president and CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health, which runs the Lifeline, said in a statement.
Remember my friends and readers, embrace, 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Love God and all people. Amen.
This post is brought to you as part of our Adair Drug Tuesday.
