There’s a big change affecting everyone in the US, but especially those who work in suicide and crisis intervention! The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has a new number (and a new name too– it’s now the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.) That number is 988. In episode 59 : We Call 988, we talk about the many reasons this is significant. A 3-digit number is a lot easier to remember than a 1-800 number, for example. However, this new number also comes with an increase in funding from the Biden administration. One of the primary uses of this funding is expanding the text and chat room functionality on 988lifeline.org.
Texting in Crisis
It might surprise some that a LOT of people prefer to text or chat rather than pick up the phone. If the goal is to truly help people in need, then we must meet them where they are. Phone support may work for some, but, for others, chat rooms and texting are where they feel more comfortable. Additionally, not everyone lives in a home where they’re free to talk openly about their problems. Texting and chatting online provides a valuable alternative to those in need. Prior to the cash infusion for the transition to 988, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline struggled to respond to less than 30% of the text and chat cries for help. The $432 million from the Biden administration, up from $24 million, is expected to raise the response level to over 90% for text and chat rooms.
But Do Crisis Chats Help?
Yes! Research on the effectiveness of crisis online chats found that about two thirds of those who used the service felt less distressed afterwards, and about half of them felt less suicidal. Interestingly, those who use the crisis chat services tend to be more seriously distressed than those who make crisis phone calls. Crisis centers already respond to hundreds of thousands of chat requests and those numbers are only expected to go up. About two-thirds of the crisis chatters are female and 70% are under 24 years of age. Eighty percent of the chatters reported recently feeling suicidal.
Youth Matters
Young people tend to be raised alongside technology and more comfortable using many technological features. Many parents often complain that their kids are always online or playing on their smart phones. Perhaps this is why adolescents are also much more likely to utilize text or chat room functions. Not only do younger people use chat service more frequently, they tend to report getting greater benefits from the experience. Health officials speculate that the new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will see nearly double the amount of text and chat requests. Additionally, sites that young people already spend time on, like social media platforms for example, have also begun encouraging individuals towards crisis lines based on a user’s search requests. There is much more that still needs to be done, but technology may be an important part in helping young people at risk. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people. It is imperative that help be easily accessible online in manners that young people are likely to use.
In Conclusion…
If you are in a crisis situation, you have good options available to you anytime, day or night by phone or text, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and its chat room. Both have proven to be effective at decreasing the likelihood of a suicide attempt. You can access the services yourself, or you can use them to get guidance about how to help a friend or loved one. 988 is live now and we know this tool will absolutely save lives.