Robin Williams' Death Prompts Calls To Suicide Lifeline

Sioux Falls, SD

The Helpline Center in Sioux Falls is one of 163 crisis centers across the country that takes calls from someone who's contemplating suicide. 

The Helpline Center in Sioux Falls has taken a few phone calls from people who have heard about Robin Williams' death and are now thinking about suicide themselves.

"When it is a national figure like Robin Williams who dies by suicide, people who are already having thoughts of suicide or some other kind of struggles whether that's depression or any other kind of issues that can bring that to the forefront for them," Suicide and Crisis Support Director Lori Montis said.

Montis, who is the director of Suicide and Crisis Support for the Helpline, says it's important for people to recognize the warning signs, which can be subtle.

"I think what happens most often people talk about is indirectly, so they'll say something like, 'I can't do this anymore.  I can't take this.  I'm tired of all of this.'  Things like that are clear that the person may be ready to have a conversation," Montis said.

A conversation that starts with a simple phone call after hearing tragic stories like Robin Williams'.

"That's the important piece.  Suicide prevention and mental health issues are things that we want in the forefront of discussions all the time, and unfortunately, it seems like it takes the death of somebody famous like Robin Williams to bring that out," Montis said.

Again if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, the number to call is simply 211.

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