Coronavirus
Some areas of the country see increase in suicide related-calls as coronavirus spreads
CORRECTION: FirstLink, a company that answers both 211 helplines and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for North Dakota and parts of Minnesota said this week that call volume in some of its call centers is up 300%. A previous version of this report incorrectly attributed the increase to the suicide prevention line. (Updated: 4 p.m. ET on 3/27/2020)
Isolation and anxiety over the coronavirus pandemic are taking a toll on Americans.
Crisis support lines and suicide prevention services in several states have seen spikes in calls since the COVID-19 virus threw everyday life askew for millions.
FirstLink, a North Dakota-based company that answers 211 help and support lines for North Dakota and parts of Minnesota, said call volume in some of its call centers is up 300%, according to a report by Valley News Live in Fargo, N.D.
“It’s so scary, it’s almost like ... I would rather be dead,” says Danielle Sinay, a writer in New York City with a history of suicidal thoughts, USA Today reports. “I mean, I wouldn’t be, but sometimes I get so scared it feels like that.”
President Donald Trump, who has been pressing to lift restrictions on most people as soon as possible, has warned of “suicides by the thousands” if people remain isolated, Forbes reported.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline “has not experienced significant changes in call volume at this time,” spokeswoman Frances Gonzalez said Friday.
More people reaching out for help
The national Crisis Text Line handled 6,000 text conversations last week, about twice the normal volume, said spokeswoman Ashley Womble, The Boston Globe reported.
In Portland, Oregon, suicide-related 911 calls rose 23 percent in the past 10 days, compared with the 10 days before the city declared an emergency, The Oregonian reported. All 911 calls in the city dropped 10 percent in the same period.
Other suicide prevention efforts in Portland report rising calls from people who feel anxious, depressed or frightened, but not in calls from those feeling acutely suicidal, according to the publication. Officials fear that may change.
“If this nears a large disaster like Hurricane Katrina, there is a flood coming,” said Chris Bouneff, executive director of the Oregon chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, The Oregonian reported..
Officials at the Samaritans hotline, the largest suicide prevention hotline in Massachusetts, say they received 350 calls a day last week, up from the normal 250 to 275 calls, The Boston Globe reported. Text messages are on pace to top 1,000 for March — a record high.
As in Portland, most callers report feeling anxious or fearful rather than acutely suicidal, said Ron White, chief program officer at Samaritans, according to the publication.
Seven County Services based in Louisville, Ky., is also experiencing a higher than usual call volume, the Courier Journal reported.
“We’re stretched to the absolute limit as it is,” said Geneva Robinson with Seven County Services, a crisis center linked to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s 1-800-273-TALK (8255) network, according to the publication.
Robinson estimates the “call volume has already increased by 20%,” the Courier-Journal reported.
Anxiety mounts as coronavirus spreads
More than 487,000 cases of the COVID-19 virus had been confirmed worldwide with more than 22,000 deaths as of March 26, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United Stated has more than 69,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,000 deaths.
The World Health Organization has declared coronavirus a global pandemic, and the United States has declared a national emergency. Several states, including California and New York, have implemented strict isolation orders to try to stop the spread of the virus.
“There are ramifications, sometimes fatal, with events like these that are not just related to getting infected or dying from infection or consequences of infection,” said Eric Caine, co-director of the Center for the Study of Prevention of Suicide at the University of Rochester Medical Center, USA Today reported.
The rising anxiety can be seen in what people are searching for online. Google searches for “panic attack symptoms” have gone up 100 percent compared with last year, according to Google.
“The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people,” the Centers for Disease. Control and Prevention said. “Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.”
Tips to fight anxiety, isolation
“Isolation is a big trigger for a lot of people,” said Norine VanderHooven, a licensed clinical social worker in California, USA Today reported. “People are becoming so anxious because they don’t know what to expect. Anxiety is fear of the unexpected or unknown.”
Experts suggest that people keep to a routine schedule, exercise, eat a healthy diet, meditate and take walks to quell anxiety, The Boston Globe reported.
Avoid information overload if it increases your fear and stave off feelings of isolation by staying in touch with friends or family by phone or online, according to the publication.
“None of us are immune to this feeling of anxiety and stress,” said Leticia Sainz, interim deputy director of Multnomah County’s behavioral health division, The Oregonian reported. “I think we’re still really seeing the beginnings of the effects of this.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800 273-8255 or text the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
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