Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade‘s deaths caused a spike in calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline this week.
The Mental Health Association of New York told TMZ calls to the hotline jumped by 25 percent, compared to the same time last week. Since celebrities and news outlets have been sharing the hotline number more often this week, more people are “aware of the resource and calling the Lifeline to get help,” the MHA said.
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Last year, the Lifeline answered 2 million calls. It also offers an online chat, which connects people to a crisis counselor. The Lifeline’s website also provides resources to those in need or loved ones who know someone who needs help. The service is completely free.
With two high-profile suicides this week, there is even more concern of a spike in suicides across the country.
As CNN reports, there was a 10 percent increase in suicides in the four moths after Robin Williams died in 2014. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recently found that suicide rates have jumped 25 percent in the U.S. since 1999. It was also the 10th leading cause of death in 2015, reports CNN.
Suicide is also a global issue. The World Health Organization estimates a rate of one suicide every 40 seconds. By 2020, the WHO estimates it will be one every 20 seconds.
Aside from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, there are other hotlines and venues available to those who might be suicidal. Trevor Line, a special counseling service for the LGBTQ community, can be reached at 1-866-488-7386. The International Association for Suicide Prevention also provides help for those outside the U.S.
Spade, a beloved handbag designer, was found dead on Tuesday in her Manhattan apartment at the age of 55. Her husband, Andy Spade, said she was treated for depression before her death.
“Kate suffered from depression and anxiety for many years,” Andy Spade said in a statement. “She was actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease, one that takes far too many lives. We were in touch with her the night before and she sounded happy. There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn’t her. There were personal demons she was battling.”
Bourdain, the host of CNN’s Places Unknown and a celebrity chef, was found in a French hotel room Friday morning, at the age of 61. In the past, Bourdain has discussed his battles with depression.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
