As many people face mental health struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tallahassee has recently seen a spike in suicides, according to Tallahassee Police Department data.
So far this year, TPD has ruled 21 death investigations as suicides. In 2019, there were six reported suicides.
TR is currently seeking age data related to the suicides.
TPD spokesperson Alicia Turner said the pandemic has contributed to the spike.
“The numbers fluctuate year to year, but they also reflect kind of a national trend, and what we’re seeing nationally is people having a hard time dealing with COVID-19,” Turner said.
The CDC has also released information echoing the sentiment that many people have experienced intensified mental health struggles due to social distancing and stay-at-home orders.
According to a CDC study, in the United States, symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders increased drastically from April to June 2020 compared with the same time span in 2019. The study also notes an increase in substance use during the pandemic.
These effects could be caused by stress related to contracting the virus, loneliness due to social distancing, financial hardship and other factors.
Turner said TPD expects that suicide numbers will continue to increase during the holidays based on trends from previous years.
She said TPD is encouraging people to check up on one another and ask open-ended questions if a person seems to be struggling more than normal or exhibiting unusual behavior.
“Our biggest push right now is to make sure that people are checking on each other, checking on their family members, checking on their neighbors, checking on loved ones,” Turner said.
She said TPD also plans to address the issue by reminding people to utilize mental health resources that are already available, including 211 Big Bend and the Apalachee Center Mobile Response Team.
“We want people to understand that if you need help, there is help available,” she said.
TPD Data Shows Suicides Have Tripled in 2020 added by Lexie Pitzen on
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Call your commissioners and ask them to show some courage! Man was not meant to live in fear!
The politicizing of the China Bio-Weapon, the media-manufactured hysteria, and subsequent politically-motivated irrational reactions to the China Bio-Weapon… have done more damage to our Nation and citizens than the China Bio-Weapon itself.
Oh… what price we’ve paid to oust a guy who sent some mean tweets and hurt our feelings
Maybe our Mayor has some guidance and wisdom to spread amoung his flock of loyal sheeple voters regarding the wearing of the face diaper mask while committing suicide.
Also we will need to know if white suicides matter more or less than black suicides and if black suicides matter more or less than hispanic suicides and what about asian and American Indian suicides do they even matter?
Seriously Mr. Mayor after your past statements and actions you should have these vital answers and share them as soon as possable.
always with the race card. don’t you ever get tired of the “victim”
mentality you’ve so obviously been indoctrinated with?
Yes, the resources are there for those that are baker acted. However, finding a quality psychological help is still a challenge with certain medical insurances in this town to keep it from going to baker act or suicide.
Another personal challenge with support we have also seen is a stigma attached to those who are mentally ill. Baby boomers we know just label you crazy and don’t want to help. I wish there was more education out there to open peoples minds to think differently about mental illnesses.