Increased anxiety, social withdrawal, and a decline in performance can often be a sign of depression, a factor in suicide.
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Volunteer Behavioral Healthcare Vice President Anne Stamps said the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline ensures residents across the Upper Cumberland have accessible help.
“If folks are feeling overwhelmed, if they’re feeling hopeless or helpless, if they feel like they may want to harm themselves or they just may need someone to talk to, they can call 988 and talk to a crisis counselor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” Stamps said.
Stamps said certain populations in rural areas face unique challenges, including older adults who may have difficulty accessing traditional resources. Stamps said middle-aged men and younger people are also groups of concern.
Stamps said the hotline is a vital tool for those who may be considering self-harm or for people concerned about the well-being of someone else. Stamps said while individuals can still utilize emergency departments or local mental health centers, 988 serves as a primary starting point to ensure no one feels alone during a struggle.
“When an individual calls or texts 988, there’s a crisis counselor on the other end that will ask some questions, provide some support, offer resources to that individual where they’re at in that area that they are in,” Stamps said.
Stamps said situational factors, such as the loss of a cherished friend or family member, can also increase risk, particularly if that death was by suicide.
“I’ve noticed that you haven’t been yourself lately,” Stamps said. “You seem kind of down. I don’t see, you know, that happy-go-lucky spirit that you normally have and that worries me somewhat. Is there any way that I can help you? Is there something that I can do to help?”
Stamps said the federal government established the three-digit 988 number approximately four years ago to serve as a dedicated hotline for individuals experiencing emotional health crises. Stamps said the service connects callers or texters with trained crisis counselors who can provide immediate support and local resources.
“I think some folks are fearful that if they reach out, that they may have to be hospitalized and that’s not necessarily the case,” Stamps said. “You know, some folks it may be the most appropriate treatment to get them with a therapist or maybe have a medication evaluation, medication may be an option there.”
Stamps said the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network offers a one-hour training course called QPR, which stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer. Stamps said the program is designed to teach ordinary citizens how to recognize warning signs and feel comfortable initiating difficult conversations.
“There have been times when we have done some suicide prevention training or sharing information and folks will come up after and they’ll say, ‘I’m just afraid. I’m afraid to ask. What if I make that person mad? What if I upset that person by asking?’” Stamps said. “And we try very hard to reassure that individual that they’re just worried and they’re concerned and the other person will receive them asking that question as a concern and that they’re worried and they want to provide help and they want to provide some reassurance to that individual.”