Warning: This story contains content about suicide.
130 people in the U.S. die every day from suicide. That鈥檚 over 47,000 every year. During the pandemic, the number of people struggling with mental health has doubled or tripled.
Dr. K. Luan Phan, professor in and chair of Ohio State University鈥檚 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, said these numbers are very troubling.
"If the fact that mental health challenges have doubled to tripled in size, one would then be very concerned that the suicide rate would potentially double and triple in size in the coming years," said Phan.
The T.A.L.K. Campaign aims to build awareness about these numbers and educate the public on how to talk about suicide so that people don鈥檛 feel alone and can get the help they need. T.A.L.K. stands for Tell them you care, Act Immediately, Listen without judgment and Know that treatment works.
The campaign was started by Phan鈥檚 department, the OSU Wexner Medical Center, and OSU鈥檚 Harding Hospital, which focuses on mental and behavioral health services.
At Ohio State鈥檚 football game against Purdue University on Saturday, T.A.L.K.鈥檚 #EndSuicideSilence campaign will share information through digital and audio announcements, as well as at a booth outside the hockey rink across the street from Ohio Stadium.
Phan said the pandemic and the accompanying financial stress, isolation, and experiences with the coronavirus have given many people who hadn鈥檛 previously experienced mental health challenges a chance to empathize with those who do.
鈥淚 think the pandemic has alerted us to the fact that we have a shared experience,鈥� said Phan. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 sort of an earthquake that has happened in each and every one of our neighborhoods and in each and every one of our homes.鈥�
Saturday鈥檚 matchup against Purdue will also be OSU鈥檚 annual Military Appreciation Game, which will highlight information about veterans.
For more information about the T.A.L.K. Campaign, visit , and watch OSU's on the campaign.
