Suicide Hotlines Have Had an ‘Unprecedented Volume’ of Calls Since Tuesday
Since Donald Trump won the presidential election on Tuesday, there has been a spike in calls to the suicide hotline.
The Washington Post is reporting that in the very early hours of Wednesday morning as Americans were waiting to see final voting results, about 660 people called the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It was described as an “unprecedented volume” of calls for that time on a Wednesday.
Lifeline director John Draper said this:
We didn’t see numbers like this in 2008 or 2012. This was an extraordinary year by any stretch of the imagination.
The hotline for the Trevor Project, too, saw a spike in activity. That one is a suicide prevention hotline specifically designed for LGBTQ youth. Between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. yesterday, the usual amount of calls doubled.
Unfortunately, some reports indicate that it was too late for some, especially trans youth.
Developing: At least 8 trans youth have committed suicide in the wake of Trump’s win, according to a private support group.
— Zach Stafford (@ZachStafford) November 9, 2016
Since Tuesday evening, the numbers for these hotlines have been circulating heavily online.
Please share:
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
Trevor Project: 866-488-7386
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255— Erin Whitney (@CinemaBite) November 9, 2016
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, click here or call 1-800-273-8255. If you are a member of the LGBTQ community and you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, click here or call 866-488-7386.
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