September is suicide prevention awareness month, and the Wekiva Springs Center in Jacksonville is doing its part to make sure that the public knows help is available.
According to a press release, the Wekiva Springs mission is to change the national narrative surrounding suicide by promoting hope through mental health services that utilize proven evidence-based treatments and support.
“It’s time to stop thinking certain people in our lives are above this epidemic and time to start seeing everyone around us for what they are…humans,” Wekiva Springs CEO Sheila Carr said.
Wekiva Springs encourages anyone going through an emotional crisis and dealing with thoughts of suicide to call the national suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or create a chat at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Texting “HELLO” to 741741 will connect anyone with a crisis counselor on the crisis text line.
Additional resources include the veterans crisis line, 1-800-273-8255, for U.S. military veterans; and the Trevor lifeline, 1-866-488-7386, for LGBTQ youth.
The center believes simple conversations can go a long way in helping people from ever getting to the point where they want to take their own life.
“We all need to join together to educate ourselves,” Carr said. “Take the suicide prevention fight beyond September and into our everyday lives.”
