Mental health and suicide prevention resources

Starting a conversation about mental health does not need to be awkward, and it can make all the difference to someone important in your life. Below are a few tips and resources for how to check in on loved ones and local resources you can offer:

• If you notice a friend or family member is not acting like their usual self, excessively worried or anxious, has trouble concentrating or is misusing substances, you can reach out to them. Try asking “I’ve noticed you’ve been down lately. Do you want to talk?” or “We haven’t talked in a while, how are you doing?” or “It seems like you haven’t been yourself lately. Is there something going on we can talk about?”
• 988 is the national hotline for people who need mental health services. You can call 988 at any time, or you can start a text chat. To chat in English, simply text a message to 988. To chat in Spanish, text AYUDA to 988.
• Click here to learn more about how to get resources for yourself.
• Click here to lean more about getting resources for someone else.
• One local mental health resource is Thrive Counseling Center, which can be reached at 708.383.7500.
• Another local resource is NAMI Metro Suburban’s Drop-in center at 814 Harrison St. The Drop-In Center is for adults 18 years and older who live with a mental health condition. It provides a safe, stigma-free place for participants to socialize and find new recovery skills and tools. Click here for more information.

If you or anyone else in your life are experiencing an acute mental health crisis, please call 911.