Top Resources for Suicide Prevention
- Crisis Text Line
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- The Suicide Prevention Resource Center
- The National Institute of Mental Health
There are many suicide prevention resources available for people who are experiencing crisis and thoughts of suicide. Five of these resources are described below. Each of them provides immediate counseling for persons in crisis, but some of them provide various other types of help as well. Some of them also provide training and/or instruction as to how to speak with and help people in crisis.
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1. Crisis Text Line
One of the best suicide prevention resources available today is the Crisis Text Line. This resource is ideal for persons who feel more comfortable texting rather than talking over the phone. The Crisis Text Line allows people in crisis situations to interact with trained counselors by way of text messaging. The service is free and is provided 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Standard text messaging fees may apply depending on the person’s cell phone provider.
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2. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Another good suicide prevention resource is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The NSPL is a national network that consists of more than 150 local crisis centers that provide expert counseling to persons in crisis. This service is also free and offered 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Launched in January of 2005, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers both immediate and on-going help for people experiencing a variety of crisis situations. The NSPL is a leader in suicide prevention, and its counselors are all experts in the field of emotional health.
3. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is another terrific resource for suicide prevention. In addition to counseling services, the AFSP provides a broad range of other resources for persons in distress including information pertaining to substance abuse treatment, cutting, bereavement, and mental health disorders. The site also provides assistance in locating local mental health facilities for people who would like to obtain one-on-one help with their problems.
4. The Suicide Prevention Resource Center
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center provides a free hotline for persons who are thinking about taking their own lives. This hotline is staffed by professionals who are available every day of the week, around the clock. The SPRC also provides training programs, videos, and blogs for people who would like to help prevent suicide. Training programs are offered in the form of online courses, webinars, learning labs, and videos. These resources are perfect for teachers, social workers, coaches, nurses, and other people who work with persons at risk of suicide.
5. The National Institute of Mental Health
Another useful resource that offers suicide prevention information is the National Institute of Mental Health. This resource is not only excellent for people who are in crisis, but it also provides a vast array of information that can be highly useful for individuals interested in mental health issues and students majoring in psychology. People who access the NIMH website will find information pertaining to such issues as depression, risk factors of suicide, suicide prevention, statistics, symptoms to look for (when assessing possible suicide victims), and treatment options.
Suicide is a devastating issue that can affect people of all ages but is most common among teens and the elderly. Fortunately, there are many helpful suicide prevention resources that can help both persons considering suicide and people who want to help address the issue. Five of these valuable resources are described above.