Guest columnist Kyle Thompson is a policy assistant at the Center for Community Solutions.
As 2022 draws to a close, we find ourselves caught up in the routine of annual shopping and anticipated gatherings with loved ones.
On its surface, the holiday season appears as a time of joy and celebration. However, some people experience intense depression during this time of year.
As the days grow darker and the nights grow colder, people become isolated from the outside world and from each other. In fact, 55 percent of Americans reported having difficulties with the loneliness of the holidays earlier this year.
This holiday season is an opportunity for Ohioans to learn about services like 988 Lifeline and engage in conversations with family and friends about mental health.
988 and further
988 is a shorter three-digit Lifeline that offers a wide range of services tailored to mental health, substance use and suicide crisis. The former suicide prevention hotline (1-800-273-8255) will redirect calls to 988 Lifeline.
988 also has culturally informed resources for marginalized groups, including LGBTQ individuals AND neurodivergent , Black or autochthonous populations. These resources are useful; however, the overall effectiveness of 988 is still limited due to lack of funding.
Ohio is one of 27 states that lacks legislation to fund and implement 988. This is detrimental to many Ohioans struggling with mental health and suicidal ideation.
Currently, suicide is the third leading cause of death for Ohioans ages 10-34 — and it will continue to be unless policymakers work to increase 988 funding and service capacity.
The 2023-2024 state budget should prioritize funding 988 to increase capacity for vulnerable populations. In the meantime, we should discuss mental health with our family and friends.
How to talk about mental health
Talking about mental health is extremely important effective in producing positive outcomes for individual well-being. Conversations about mental health are important because they help create affirming environments.
Effective practices include respecting the conversationalist’s boundaries, allowing a person emotional space to process their feelings, and creating a comfortable place for discussion.
In some cases, someone may not be talking about mental health at all, and that’s okay. Time to talk with loved ones should be at your (or their) discretion.
How can 988 and mental health support be made more effective?
In addition to funding 988, there should also be an effort to inform the public about Lifeline’s services for at-risk populations. Some advocates are also calling for one taxes to support 988, which would increase funding and improve effectiveness.
Decision makers should engage with these conversations when crafting legislation.
Having conversations about mental health with family and friends is also essential. It’s important to create support systems with each other during a time of year when many people lose track of what really matters: spreading love in our communities, meeting loved ones, and discussing mental health, so that we bloom in our beauty in the spring. comes
Sources:
National Helpline/Hotline Directory
Free resources during winter break
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