This week on #SPSM Chat co-hosts Rudy Caseres (@RudyCaseres), Joelle Marie (@LazTheLazTheLaz), and Danielle Glick (@DanielleGlick) discuss “The Links Between The Opioid Crisis And Suicide” with guests Janet Schnell (@JanetSchnell) and Carly Larson (@TheJuniorisHere).

Watch as we discuss issues such as:

How has the rise in opioid-related deaths changed how we see suicide?

Do you think opioid-related deaths are being reported accurately of overdose vs suicide?

How can opioid addiction lead to someone to being actively suicidal?

Is the War on Drugs a major contributor to the current opioid crisis?

Further Reading and Watching:

Harm Reduction Action Center

Suicide Deaths Are a Major Component of the Opioid Crisis that Must Be Addressed

Suicide, opioids tied to ongoing fall in US life expectancy: Third year of drop

Suicide and Substance Abuse – Addiction Center

Death-by-Opioid: How many Opioid Deaths are Suicides? Does It Matter?

Is The Suicide Prevention Field Well-Positioned To Address The Opioid Crisis?

*Watch SPSM Chat live every Sunday 6pm PT/9pm ET at Twitter.com/spsmchat as well as on the SPSM YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Mixer channel. All past episodes are archived and available to watch on-demand at spsmchat.com.

**SPSM Chat includes content about suicide and other experiences that may be traumatizing to you. You may experience strong or overwhelming emotions as a result. If you find yourself in distress or crisis, we encourage you to seek out support that works for you. Many people find it helpful to talk to a friend, family member, or someone else they trust.

If you would like formal crisis support, you can call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ‘1-800-273-TALK (8255)’, Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 (U.S.) or 877-330-6366 (Canada), or The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. If you don’t like talking on the phone, you can text HOME to 741741 to get to Crisis Text Line, or you can try Lifeline Crisis Chat. If you’d like to talk to a peer, warmline.org contains links to warmlines in the United States. If you’re not in the U.S., you can go to https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ for a connection to crisis centers around the world.

Many of these resources could utilize restrictive interventions, like active rescues (wellness or welfare checks) involving law enforcement or emergency services. A warmline is least likely to do this, but still might have these policies. You can ask if this is a possibility at any point in your conversation if this is a concern for you.

The following do not implement any restrictive interventions for people considering suicide:

Peerly Human online support groups: https://peerlyhuman.blogspot.com/
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 (U.S.) or 877-330-6366 (Canada)**

Janet Schnell, MSW, LSW, is the American Association of Suicidology Loss Division Chair and Dubois County Substance Abuse Council coordinator. She is an active member of the Dubois County Suicide Prevention Coalition, Quilt organizer for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and facilitator for Survivors of Suicide of Dubois County.

Carly Larson, based in Colorado, works in the mental health and substance fields. She is a harm reductionist and critical of abstinence-only programs.