September - National Suicide Awareness Month
It’s very likely you or someone you know has suffered with mental health issues; whether that be anxiety, depression, anger, or general unease within your own mind. That’s because more than one in five adults (18 years or older) are living with a mental illness, making it a common condition in the United States. Anxiety disorders being the most common of all mental health conditions, affecting more than 40 million Americans, it’s safe to say we’re not alone.
Long haul truck drivers are high on the list of professions suffering with health, mental health, and suicidal thoughts. Access being a major factor in these issues going untreated, even with aid of the Affordable Care Act allowing the self-employed and truck drivers to gain coverage, the latest study done by the ATA still showed only 58% of truck drivers reporting having coverage. Stress on the job, lack of sleep, and isolation were some of the highest reported complaints by drivers, and they were all noted to contribute to depression and suicide. Men being almost 4x more likely to commit suicide, this is a concerning statistic in a field still dominated by men, and already plagued with other health ailments directly caused by the job itself.
Fortunately, today we have more resources becoming readily available, affordable, and accessible in the mental health sector. Our previously mentioned services offered by TelaDoc and Doctor On Demand, which are both wonderful web based services that are often covered by insurance. For those who don’t have insurance or don’t have mental health coverage, one solution is to look for therapists who use the sliding pay scale. Another option is to use services like Open Path, an organization that only charges a one-time membership fee, to gain access to services priced between $30-$70 USD for both virtual and in office appointments.
Social media might also have some answers, and help you get your foot in the door. Reddit and Instagram both also hold some wonderful safe havens for mental health expression, awareness, and education. A few noteworthy mentions would be r/KindVoice, r/OffMyChest, r/SelfImprovement r/MentalHealth, and any subreddits narrowed down to your individual mental health disorder, such as r/Anxiety or r/OCD. On Instagram, you can find @SelfCareWithWall for uplifting quotes, or @FightThroughMentalHealth and @letstalk.mentalhealth to stay informed and be proactive, and @SelfCareIsAPriority to help you with acceptance and understanding.
It’s equally important to know the signs of suicide and suicidal ideation. Some signs can come up in conversation; such as being worthless or feeling trapped, having no reason to live, or being a burden to others.
Other signs might be more subtle and display in their behavior; such as becoming easily agitated, sleeping more or less often, withdrawing from friends and family, or using and/or increasing use of substances, such as drugs and alcohol.
The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention has a multitude of resources readily available for those of us looking for support, for understanding, or even opportunities for those who want to volunteer. There’s also the National Institute of Mental Health, a service of the NIH. To find your local mental health service facilites, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a locator.
Are you in a crisis?
Call or text 988 or text TALK to 741741 to get connected with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
If you’ve experienced a disaster or tragedy, you can call 1-800-985-5990 for access to a trained professional from your nearest crisis center.
If you’re a veteran; please call the Veterans Crisis Hotline at 988 or text 838255.
Run Hard – Dream Big,
You’re not alone,
M.I.T.
