MILWAUKEE — Six months after the launch of 988, the new three-digit number to help prevent suicide, millions of calls are pouring in. This number was started to give people quick access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
The 988 number connects people experiencing mental health crises of any kind to trained counselors. To date, domestically he has been visited by more than 2 million people on 988. Call volumes are higher than expected, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
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Caroline Crehan Neumann, Crisis Services Coordinator for DHS in Wisconsin, said:
Wisconsin expected the 988 center to receive 55,000 calls in its first year. Now he’s on pace to receive more than 77,000, according to a forecast report from Vibrant Emotional Health. According to Dr. Munther Barakat, director of behavioral therapy at Aurora Health Care, more people are experiencing more serious mental health problems since the pandemic.
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“Before this number was released, we noticed people were coming in with more acute symptoms,” Barakat said..
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He says the main culprits are COVID and injustice. Barakat says it will take much longer for people to recover mentally, even if things return to a more normal state.
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“There is a pattern of patients showing increased anxiety and depressive symptoms, which are often associated with isolation. Barakat. “When you’ve been exposed to something for a considerable period of time, you have to understand that there are still emotional facts that stick with you, and you have to deal with them.”
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You have the option to get help from other veterans by dialing 988 for veterans only. The Hotline has also launched new options for the LGBTQ community to have similar resources. The 988 Crisis Line is a toll-free, 24/7 hotline available day or night.
If you or someone you know is in danger, call 988 and contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
