To all of my AARP and Veteran friends please pass this on!
Covid has been here for 9+ months now....and winter is looming. Mental health issues related to our lock down and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression and other mental health disorders. NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness has a 24-hour helpline: 800-950-6264. The relapse and overdose rate has increased by 30% since March 2020.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated 988 as the three-digit number on July 16, 2020, paving the way for this important step forward in mental health support in this country. We look forward to working with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the FCC and others to ensure that the 988 phone number, and the necessary infrastructure to support this essential service, are available to the public on or before July 16, 2022. Until that time, we encourage people in need of support to continue calling the Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Confidential Support Is a Call Away
If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, there are caring, qualified VA responders standing by to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1
The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, anonymous, confidential resource that’s available to anyone, even if you’re not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care.
I’m asking my small corner of AARP to follow suit: Could any two of my AARP friends just copy and repost to share the helpline far and wide? ARRP offers several areas that offer a chance to find help and make friends! I hope many people find the Front Porch as a place to come to and find some friendship on the internet! Remember that there are a lot of people here that are looking for you to be their friend also. If you have a relative that is or has been in the military be sure to reach out to them.
Please be safe and remember you will always have friends here on the Front Porch!
Assessing Mental Health: https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/health/info-2018/assessing-mental-health.html

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper