Calls to suicide centers soaring

Prevention services help people at risk find hope

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline saw calls double from 2014 to 2017, an increase that coincides with rising suicide rates in the U.S.

The lifeline answered more than 2 million calls in 2017, up from 1 million in 2014, according to its latest figures. More than 1.5 million reached the prevention network in 2015 and in 2016.

The nationwide group includes more than 150 crisis centers, plus national backup centers to assist local lines.

The recent high-profile suicides of celebrities Kate Spade and Anthony from 1999 to 2016, according to figures released last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cindy Miller, executive director of FirstLink crisis center in North Dakota, said another reason helplines are experiencing an increase is that more people share information on social media.

FirstLink fielded 6,533 calls in 2017 – a spike from 2,512 the previous year.

Rutgers University saw a jump in calls over the past five years. For example, the New Jersey crisis center answered 3,699 calls in May, up from 1,390 calls in June 2013.

“This work is like a busy emergency room to some degree, even though the patients aren’t physically here with us,” clinical supervisor William Zimmermann said. “It’s busy, hectic, demanding work at times.”