Those considering suicide need only 3 digits — 988 — to reach a lifeline
“I think it’s one of the smartest things that have ever happened”
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — “I think it’s one of the smartest things that have ever happened.”
9-8-8 that’s the new number for the national suicide prevention hotline, and it replaces the old 10-digit number, and for those contemplating life or death, it could be helpful.
Quinton light now helps others at the Eagle Creek Recovery Center. He now helps those battling addiction. And suicide is something he often talks about as his testimony to help others.
“After my third attempt what was going through my head was am I am really going to do it and is this the real thing and what happens if I fell at this and that’s when I started thing about family what can I do, I how can I get the help that I need.”
He attempted suicide three times, and he lost his brother to suicide in 2018. Light said talking to someone is what saved his life.
“I just woke up one morning and I just said I’m done with suicide attempts and trying to run my car off the road, and trying to hang myself, and taking a knife to my throat I just know that there is something else for me to do.”
LDH reports say more than 600 suicides happened in 2020 alone. Janet Miller, with the Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling, said they are already seeing an increase in calls.
“We’ve had a tremendous number of calls already since the launch on Saturday and so we’ve had 52% of calls already.”
Miller said not only is 988 the national hotline number but it’s also the same number you will use to get help locally.
“So when someone calls 988 it will route to the state that they live in and for Louisiana, there are two helpline centers .So once there are code is identified they will be routed to the appropriate center,” she said.
According to the CDC, suicide is the 12 leading causes of death nationally.
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