Suicide Prevention Hotline
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours, seven days a week. By calling 988 or go to the website to chat (lifeline.org) you’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7. The resource is free and confidential support for people in distress and can help guide loved ones with supports.
From time to time, you may encounter a person who is expressing thoughts of suicide on your social-media sites. If someone you know online is showing any of these warning signs, it is important that you post a message encouraging them to call the Lifeline. If you are friends with the person in real life or know where the person is, please call 988 so that you can talk to a crisis counselor.
Social-media warning signs:
- Writing about wanting to die or to kill oneself.
- Writing about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.
- Writing about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.
- Writing about being a burden to others.
- Writing about seeking revenge.
Make sure to contact the media platform to report your concern.
The following signs may mean someone is at risk for suicide. The risk of suicide is greater if a behavior is new or has increased and if it seems related to a painful event, loss, or change. If you or someone you know exhibits any of these signs, seek help as soon as possible by calling the Lifeline at 988.
Warning signs:
- Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves.
- Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching online or buying a gun
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.
- Talking about being a burden to others.
- Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.
- Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly.
- Suddenly giving away special possessions
- Sleeping too little or too much.
- Withdrawing or isolating themselves.
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.
- Displaying extreme mood swings.
For more information and resources about suicide prevention, please visit the National
Suicide Prevention Lifeline website at https://988lifeline.org/