In the time between my article on “Resources,” its publication, and before the article I wrote called “Giving Myself Credit,” I actually had the opportunity to try out some of the phone numbers I had listed in my article. The results were mixed but having gone through that experience and the aftermath of it, I have more resources to add to the list and honestly you can never have too many resources.
A nation-wide National Alliance on Mental Illness phone number that you can call with questions regarding treatment options, psychoeducation, and local resources can be reached Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1800–950–NAMI (6264).
In addition to the crisis texting service 741–741, you can also try the words “GO,” “MHA,” and “NAMI” to begin a session. The code word variation for this crisis service is mainly for documenting trafficking purposes (i.e. what brought you to this resource).
Another 24/7 call center comes out of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) which can be reached at 1–800–662–HELP (4357). With this number, you can find more local resources specific to your location. The call is confidential, but it is not a counseling service.
For emergency service programs that are covered by MassHealth, Medicare, and uninsured plans, there are some South Shore MA crisis lines you can call. The one I found online, that is a state-wide ESP and open 24/7, can be reached at 877–382–1609; you enter the zip code you are in where your crisis is taking place. Namimass.org can provide a more expandable list of the different ESPs across the state, as well. The Taunton-Attleboro crisis team can be reached at 508–285–9400. The Brockton crisis team can be reached at 508–897–2100.
If the person who is suicidal is undergoing an immediate crisis by which they are determined to be an imminent danger to themselves, it’s best to call 911 or take them to the nearest emergency room. You can, if you call 911, specify that it’s a psychiatric emergency so as to potentially lessen the intensity of the situation and prevent it escalating from already chaotic to traumatizing.
In Boston, the Samaritans state-wide number can be reached 24/7 at (877) 870–HOPE (4673). They also offer a text-based service at the same number.
The Samaritans on the Cape Cod and Islands can be reached at 800–893–9900. Further county-specific and nation-wide phone number listings can also be found on suicidehotlines.com.
Another resource-rich website that I first discovered back in 2015 is called metanoia.org. It lists in easy-to-understand text what a suicidal crisis is like for those who struggle first-hand and for those whose family members, friends, or other loved ones experience their loved one’s crisis. What suicidal crises are versus what they are not, and continues to offer hope and guidance for those who have momentarily lost their way. They also include some of the national numbers that I have listed here and in the first part of the article series and offer additional book references and websites to learn more about specific mental health conditions and so on.
Additionally, specific not only to UMass Boston but also other college campuses, are other avenues of help that can be referred to. It might be daunting and unpredictable to approach a stranger when you’re in crisis, but it is an option (even if it might be further down the list). You can tell them that you’re not feeling well and that you need to get to X location, and ask them if they can help you to get there (whether that’s the Counseling Center, calling someone else, contacting Public Safety, going to the ER, etc.) You can also communicate to an MBTA officer how you are feeling and ask for someone with crisis intervention training for further aid.
Your professor can also be someone you approach to get you to the Counseling Center. You can also get in touch with further resources and communication between yourself and your professors via the Dean of Students. Above all, it’s important to remember that there are many alternatives and avenues of help and hope that you can turn to when you’re lost in the darkness.
Suicide, as it were, is a permanent action to a temporary crisis. You can get through this point of hell into the brightness of the sun and the blossoming of flowers nearby. You can be okay again. You can be you again.
The hardest decision you will make will be choosing to live; the second will be to tell someone how you’re really feeling.
Stay safe.
Treatment 101: Resources Part II
By Raquel Lyons
|
October 25, 2018