America’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has left millions of people feeling hopeless and despondent over mounting debt from job losses.
The suicide rate in America is rising as many Americans feel desperate, hopeless and lonely. 75% of Americans are on lockdown around the nation.
A 38-year-old man in Wilson, Pennsylvania attempted a murder-suicide after losing his job. He opened fire on his girlfriend before fatally shooting himself on Monday. His girlfriend survived.
2 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets took their own lives after being quarantined on campus in Colorado Springs, CO. They were due to graduate in May.
Phones are ringing off the hook at suicide hotlines around the country in recent weeks. One Suicide Prevention Services hotline in Illinois does not have enough staff to field all the calls.
“We are seeing a massive shift to anxiety,” said Suicide Prevention Services Education and Training Director Natasha Clark. She said callers are not necessarily worried about catching the virus, they are more fearful of its financial impact on their lives from job loss, homelessness, and loneliness.
“Alone with their thoughts, so many callers are on the brink. It’s creating a sense of deep despair among callers,” Clark told the Chicago Tribune.
“We can’t even count on accessing emergency resources because even that is tenuous right now.”
