SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The stigma is slowly going away when the subject is mental health.
“Being able to talk more openly about these topics, I think, is really important. I think that is a huge piece of suicide prevention,” says Lauren Yoggerst, mobile crisis unit manager at Memorial Behavioral Health. “Making sure people feel comfortable talking but also know who to talk to. Calling us, calling 988, being able to have those open lines of communication are really helpful so they can get the help that they need.”
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, which, Yoggerst says, brings “awareness to these topics and really helps to break down that stigma,” adding that society has stigmatized being in an institution or hospital for mental health treatment.
When people consider calling 911 or 988, Yoggerst says, “at that point they realize, I need a little bit more assistance than talking to my friends or talking to my family or trying to do this all on my own.”
988 is the national suicide hotline.
Yoggerst was a guest on the WTAX Morning Newswatch.
