Suicide prevention hotlines surge post-election

[LordOfMud]

Calls to crisis and suicide prevention hotlines surge post-election

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)                                                            

# Stunning election brings an unexpected flood of calls to crisis and suicide prevention services

# "I can't say I've seen anything like this," says one longtime professional in this field

In the wee hours of November 9, when the US presidential race approached its stunning end, John Draper and those he works with saw a different surprising result. The phone lines at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline lit up in a way not seen before.
Between 1 and 2 a.m. alone, Draper said, the national network fielded 660 calls. The volume was two to three times what it had been, and that was on a night when calls were already on a dramatic upswing, increasing as polls closed and returns came in, the lifeline's director said.

It's a trend that's played out with other services too, and the direct link to the election was "pretty undeniable," said Draper, who's spent about 25 years working in the suicide prevention and crisis intervention field. "I can't say I've seen anything like this. ... And it's certainly not something I've ever seen in an election."