Why Having Accessible Mental Health Resources is Critical in Today’s World
By Lisa Sugarman
Author’s note: This story mentions suicide and may be triggering for some readers.
There’s no sugarcoating it, these are crazy, volatile times. That’s because now, more than any other time in humanity’s history, and for a multitude of reasons, people everywhere are struggling. And if you haven’t noticed, just look around and it’ll become abundantly clear that there’s a world of people out there who just aren’t ok. So it feels like the world’s collective mental health has hit an all-time low, and that’s probably because it has.
The truth is, we’ve got an explosive social and political climate (and that’s putting it mildly), stress and uncertainty from economic instability, pressure from the demands of maintaining a healthy work-life balance, the constant bombardment of technology and things like environmental degradation, the intense and constant pressure to measure up (I mean, do you really need me to go on?). And all these stressors swirling around us are wearing away at our capacity to successfully manage our mental health.
“I’ve made it my mission to create a destination where those who are struggling can find the resources they need so they never have to feel like suicide is their only option. Because right now, too many people are making that choice.”
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),
1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14
On average, there are 123 suicides every day in this country. That’s 123 mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends, coworkers, and children lost every single day to suicide.
People are anxious and depressed and taking their lives in record numbers, and they need help. The problem is, they don’t always know where to turn to get the support and resources they need.
In fact, at this point, it’s reasonable to say that mental illness has become our new pandemic. But I believe that by providing people with accessible, reliable, easy-to-access mental health resources, we can roll those statistics back and help support people who are struggling and need help.
As a three-time survivor of suicide loss, a mental health advocate, and a crisis counselor with The Trevor Project, I’ve seen the lifesaving impact of connecting people with the support and resources they need when they’re not ok. I’ve watched, first-hand, how putting someone in touch with mental health resources, counseling, therapy, medication, or hospitalization can mean the difference between life and death for someone who’s hurting. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to create a destination where those who are struggling can find the resources they need so they never have to feel like suicide is their only option. Because right now, too many people are making that choice.
So, it’s in the spirit of National Suicide Prevention Month that I’m sharing my Mental Health Resources & Toolkit Hub on lisasugarman.com so that everyone who needs resources, in any community, can find the help they need. www.lisasugarman.com/resources
I’ve curated one of the most inclusive, comprehensive, and free mental health resources directories on the internet that puts help just a single click away for anyone in crisis or who needs support. Because when someone is struggling and feeling hopeless, they need accessible and vetted resources they can trust. And they need them right now.
But here’s the thing… we don’t all need the same kinds of help.
Since we all have different cultural, social, and historical factors that influence how our mental health is understood, experienced, and treated within our own unique community, we can all benefit from more specialized resources that are geared to our individual communities. So, I've broken down my Mental Health Resources Hub into 16 different categories to ensure that everyone who needs help, from any population, is represented.
I’ve done the work to bring these resources together under one virtual roof so that the help and information people need is just a single click away. You’ll find specialized resources in the following 16 unique communities:
• AAPI Resources
• BIPOC Resources
• Canadian Resources
• Children & Teens Resources
• Crisis Support Resources
• Elderly Resources
• Government Resources
• Grief & Loss Resources
• International Resources
• Latinx Resources
• LGBTQ+ Resources
• Mindfulness Resources
• Online Mental Health Resources
• People with Disabilities Resources
• Suicide & Mental Health Resources
• Veterans Resources
I couldn’t save the people I’ve lost, which is why my goal is to help save as many other lives as possible by creating a platform that offers specialized resources for everyone in need.
Go to www.lisasugarman.com/resources to bookmark and share my Mental Health Resources Hub. And, if you or someone you know is struggling, please call the Suicide & Crisis Hotline by dialing 988 and a trained counselor will be there to help.
About the Author
Lisa Sugarman is an author, a nationally syndicated columnist, a survivor of suicide loss, a storyteller with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a crisis counselor with The Trevor Project, and a mental health advocate. She’s also the host of The Survivor Series on YouTube, a video series designed to stop the stigma of suicide and mental illness. Lisa writes the syndicated opinion column We Are Who We Are and is the author of How To Raise Perfectly Imperfect Kids And Be Ok With It, Untying Parent Anxiety, and LIFE: It Is What It Is. She is a regular contributor on the Mental Health Television Network (MHTN) and her work has appeared on Healthline Parenthood, GrownAndFlown, TODAY Parents, Thrive Global, LittleThings, GateHouse Media, The Washington Post, and Psychology Today. Lisa lives and writes just north of Boston.