Reddit has partnered with Crisis Text Line in an effort to help people who are considering self-harm or suicide. The partnership means that Reddit users who are contemplating self-harming or taking their own life will be put in touch with trained counselors.
Suicidal People Seek Help From Strangers
Mental health is a huge problem in society at the moment. More people than ever seem to be experiencing mental health issues, and while we have become better at discussing them, getting diagnosed and treated for mental health conditions is still a problem.
This leads many to reach the end of their tether before reaching out. And then when they do reach out, they do so online, sometimes to complete strangers. Often on Reddit. Which is why Reddit is launching a new effort to help people having suicidal thoughts.
How to Help Save a Suicidal Person on Reddit
Reddit has partnered with Crisis Text Line, which is “a free, confidential, text-based support line for people in the U.S. who may be struggling with any type of mental health crisis.” This means that Redditors will have “24/7 support from trained Crisis Counselors.”
Proud to announce our partnership with @reddit today with an AMA with our Chief Data Scientist and Co-Founder Bob Fiblin! Join along here and submit your questions:https://t.co/AURT4tuX7H pic.twitter.com/2mmKk9z8lt
— Crisis Text Line (@CrisisTextLine) March 4, 2020
For this to work, Redditors need to look out for each other. As explained in the announcement post on /r/modnews, Reddit is asking you to let the mods know “when you’re worried about someone in your community, or anywhere on Reddit.”
If that’s the case, you should do the following:
- Report the specific post or comment that worried you and select, Someone is considering suicide or serious self-harm.
- Visit the person’s profile and select, Get them help and support. (If you’re using Reddit on the web, click More Options first.)
Reddit will then contact the person in question to let them know someone is worried about them. And put them in touch with the trained Crisis Counselors at Crisis Text Line. The person who reported the troubling post will also have access to a counselor.
How to Help Suicidal Friends on Social Media
This is a really positive initiative from Reddit, and if it even saves just one person from taking their own life, it will have been worth it. Reddit isn’t the first social networking site to offer help though, so here’s how to help suicidal friends on social media.
Image Credit: Mitchell Haindfield/Flickr
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