In September, for example, MSNBC wrote about the national suicide hotline, known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK). According to statistics, calls to that number have gone up every year since its inception in 2005.
MSNBC theorized it was because of more publicity about the number. But is it really?
In December, the LA Times wrote about a surge in local suicide hotline calls.
Kita Curry, president of the Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center said:
"I've been doing this for 10 years, and this is the worst I've seen it."
In 2007, she said, the hotline she works with received an average of 1,500 calls per month. In December, the average had risen to 2,000 and sometimes as high as 2,400.
At the same time, the LA Times story updated numbers for the national hotline I mentioned above. By December, calls to that number had risen 35% from the prior year.
And today the USA Today expanded further on the topic.
One interesting note: while suicides spiked during the Great Depression, they did not during subsequent recessions. However, those recessions averaged 10 months. This one is 13 months and counting.
Finalizing the national hotline stats, the USA Today said the calls were up 36% in 2008 (meaning it jumped another 1% since the LA Times story, which was written just before Christmas Day).
While the number of calls are alarming, perhaps, one expert said, they actually offer some measure of hope. Lanny Berman, executive director of the Washington-based American Association of Suicidology said:
"Maybe the fact that so many are calling is a positive sign. They're seeking help."
Let's hope. This recession isn't close to an end.
