Suicide Awareness Month

As we enter into Suicide Awareness Month it is more critical now than ever to take care of each other. This year has brought uncertainty to everyone’s lives. The impact the global pandemic has had is very much individualized. Our vulnerable populations have found themselves staying in their houses secluded from loved ones, parents are now working from home and homeschooling their children. The financial burden and social isolation is a combination that we have already seen increasing our suicide rates and overdose death rates.

As a community it is important to take care of yourself and those around you. There are many ways to show you care and offer support even while social distancing. If you find yourself wondering how you can make a difference, to make an impact, to help those around you during the pandemic, think about just reaching out to others.

The Center for Suicide Awareness has been in the front of the coronavirus and helping individuals through the devastation and instilling hope. The Center for Suicide Awareness is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit headquartered in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. The Center for Suicide Awareness is dedicated to preventing suicide through proactive education, training, emotional support, collaboration, and intervention. The vision of the Center is compassionate, readily accessible, barrier free and sustained support for any individual or entity in need, while free of any mental health stigma. Their vision is compassion, readily accessible, barrier free, and sustained support for any individual or entity in need while free of any mental health stigma.

HOPELINE™, by the Center for Suicide Awareness, is the Emotional Support Text Line in the State of Wisconsin and provides service throughout the entire state. It is a text-in (versus voice call-in) free service for help and hope. HOPELINE™’s purpose is to offer emotional support and resources before situations rise to crisis level. Texts received reflect struggles with breakups, job loss, bullying, LGBTQ issues, parental issues, school, friends, relationship issues or any struggle a person is experiencing, like during these current uncertain times.

It is everyone’s responsibility to do what they can do to help us get through this monumental global pandemic. There are times when people just want to heard, to be listened to, to know that how they feel or what they are dealing with matters…without judgment. The truth is: Everyone does deserve to be listened to and to be heard. What someone feels or what they are dealing with does matter…because everyone matters.

We all need hope, help, and support at points in our life free of negative stigma or judgment. The Center for Suicide Awareness works with other community partners that care about suicide awareness and to break the stigma of mental health. Everyone has their own ways to cope with stress and anxiety. The Center for Suicide Awareness has taken initiative to help everyone through these difficult times and introduced a Coping Skills Series. Things are tough right now, and we are all in this together. You are not alone and we will all get through this pandemic together. We strive to help those who are suffering and need that emotional boost! You are never alone!!! Please reach out to us if you and/or your organization would like training in knowing the signs of suicide prevention, as well as mental health resilience training. For more information on the Center for Suicide Awareness go to https://centerforsuicideawareness.org/.

Text HOPELINE to 741741 — from anywhere, anytime, about any type of challenge or struggle. Help and hope is just a text away. A live, trained specialist receives the text and responds quickly. Each person that text in is important to us and we care about what they are dealing with.