Crisis Support Services of Nevada - formerly The Crisis Call Center - has been helping people for more than 50 years.
"Today, we are one of seven national suicide prevention, lifeline call centers across the nation," said Executive Director Rachelle Pellissier "Last year we helped 83,000 people across the nation."
Right now, about 20% of the calls they receive revolve around the pandemic.
"And the calls we see around COVID-19 aren't so much about, I'm going to get COVID-19," Pellissier said. "It's more the anxiety that's come from all of the ramifications of the changes. Loss of a job, worrying how I'm going to support the kids, how am I going to pay the bills, all of those kinds of things creates a whole lot of anxiety out there."
And these days, the Reno-based nonprofit is reaching out in new ways to help people during these unprecedented times. They're using social media for a new weekly conversation called Talk it Out Tuesdays. It's an interview series that looks at current issues concerning mental, physical and spiritual health during a pandemic. This week's segment will feature a UNR student who's been talking to students of all ages about dealing with the new normal.
"He talked to them about and what they feel they need from adults and parents to help them get through this," Pellissier said. "So it's a fascinating conversation, right from where the kids and the teens and young adults come from. What they're feeling, what they've implemented for themselves to make themselves feel better in this time we think that is lost. What are the opportunities that they've created for themselves and what they feel they need from adults and parents to help them get through this,"
The hope is to get more people to realize that everyone is being affected by this - and help is available - even if you're calling about a friend or family member.
"This is for anyone to call and there is hope and opportunity through growth, through this crazy time we're going through," Pellissier said. "And we're just a phone call or text away."
Crisis Support Services of Nevada: (800) 273-8255 or text CARE to 839863
https://www.facebook.com/CrisisCallCenter/
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