Mental Health Resources and Hotlines
Mental health illnesses contribute to a significant portion of the healthcare burden across communities. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, its frequency continues to increase. As of 2022, approximately 59.3 million people within the United States, or 23.1 % of the US population live with a mental illness. To put this statistic into perspective, an estimated one in five adults suffer from a mental illness, whether it has been diagnosed or gone unnoticed. And out of the different demographics and age groups across the nation, teenagers and young adults ages 18-25 years old have demonstrated the highest prevalence of exhibiting a mental illness.
A population with poor mental health that surprisingly does not garner nearly enough attention, is our healthcare workers: those responsible with diagnostic and treatment, patient care support, and ancillary healthcare responsibilities. A national survey conducted by the CDC has found that in 2018, 32% of our healthcare professionals reported burnout. In 2022, that percentage had increased to 46%, partially as a result of the pandemic’s stresses on the health system. When taking a closer look at this upward trend, further studies have pinpointed potential contributors: 41% of workers reported insufficient sleep and 19% reported diagnosed depression. Statistics demonstrate higher rates of poor mental health reported among patient care support and ancillary healthcare workers compared to practitioners who diagnose and treat patients. Furthermore, the frequency of poor mental health is especially high in healthcare support workers with patient care responsibilities, e.g. nursing, psychiatric, and home care aides.
With such a significant percentage of our society suffering from poor mental health, it is particularly worrisome that out of the 59.3 million people living with a mental illness, only 50.6% have actually received mental health treatment. Perhaps the remaining 49.6% lack the necessary support, resources, access, or information to get the proper attention to address such issues. Or worse, their illnesses become stigmatized within their respective societies, cultures, and families, to the point their mental wellbeing reaches a breaking point which irreversibly changes the path of their life. Sometimes one wonders whether or not a suicide, a crisis, or a mental break could have been prevented or more greatly prepared for if there was support or even someone there to help intervene.
The bottom line is that we need to make mental health resources more readily available for our communities. The first step in this process needs to include raising awareness and compassion for these particular issues occurring around us. That is why I have compiled a short list of key, readily available, nationwide resources that address the prevalent mental health crises presently within our communities:
988 Suicide Crisis Lifeline:
If you or close individual is suffering from suicidal thoughts or from a mental health crisis, this resource should be your first priority. A crisis counselor on the other end of the line will listen to the situation, ensure your safety, and connect you with information and/or mental health resources in your area.
Call/Text 988
National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI Helpline):
NAMI is a peer support service that provides information and support to individuals who live with others suffering from a mental illness, to caregiver/mental health providers , and/or to the general public. They do not provide mental health counseling, professional advice, nor personal referrals - it is not a hotline, crisis line, or suicide line, but rather a helpline targetted for general support.
Call: 1-800-950-6264
Text NAMI to 741-741
SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA:
SAMHSA is a free, confidential, nationwide service that provides 24/7, 365 days mental health support and/ or substance abuse resources to individuals facing mental crises or substance abuse disorders. They provide referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and other community based organizations that address the exact or similar conditions.
Call: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) - Services both in English and Spanish
Teen Line | Teens Support Hotline:
Teen Line is a nationwide, peer support service consisting of professionally trained teen listeners that provides information, support, and resources to struggling teens, caregivers, and schools. The counselors’ purpose is entirely centered towards making the callers as comfortable as possible, and they seek to listen, understand, and improve callers’ situations.
Call: 800-852-8336 (6 pm - 10 pm PST)
Text TEEN to 839863 (6 pm - 9 pm PST)
The Trevor Project:
The Trevor Project is a nationwide, suicide and crisis prevention organization for LGBTQ+ young adults. Available 24/7 365 days a year, they strive to provide the necessary information, support, and resources for individuals struggling with issues including coming out, LGBTQ+ identity, depression, and/or suicide.
Call: 1-866-488-7386
Text START to 678-678
The Trans Lifeline:
Trans Lifeline is a trans peer support organization that provides information, support, direct emotional, and financial support to trans people in crisis. Their crisis hotline is operated by a trans/nonbinary peer operator, assures full anonymity and confidentiality, and no non-consensual active rescue.
Call: (877)-565-8860 (US) or (877)-330-6366 (CAN)
10 AM - 6 PM Pacific
11 AM - 7 PM Mountain
12 PM - 8 PM Central
1 PM - 9 PM Eastern
The list above consist of only a few out of the many hotlines and resources available for crises and mental health intervention. For a more complete and thorough compilation of specific hotline/crisis resources, visit https://www.helpguide.org/find-help for more information.
References:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Mental illness. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, October 24). Health Workers Face A Mental Health Crisis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/health-worker-mental-health/index.html#:~:text=Burnout%3A%20In%202022%2C%2046%25,similar%20in%20the%20two%20years
Silver, S., Li, J., Marsch, S., & Carbone , E. (2022, August 29). Pre-pandemic mental health and well-being of healthcare workers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2022/08/29/hcw-mental-health-prepandemic/
