If you or your friend is suffering from any suicidal thoughts, Facebook can be of help. How? Facebook will connect the concerned person to an expert or get tips and support. The announcement of this service was made at the annual Compassion Research Day at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California.
Roughly 41,000 Americans commit suicide in a year and it has been observed that most of them are avid Facebook users. And considering that Facebook is regularly used to share feelings of joy, and happiness, and it’s also the place where users turn to when their feeling are down and out, the new initiative will apparently give hope to all those who have lost all hopes in their lives.
Talking about the noble initiative, Rob Boyle, a Facebook product manager, and Nicole Staubli, Facebook community operations, safety specialist, wrote in a blog post that the social media giant will be collaborating with mental health organizations Forefront, Now Matters Now, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Save.org on this front. Plus, it will consult with people who have injured themselves or are suffering from suicidal tendencies. The blog also added that“If someone on Facebook sees a direct threat of suicide, we ask that they contact their local emergency services immediately.”
Social media is emerging as a new tool for diagnosing people who are going through suicidal feelings. Their messages on social media, directly or indirectly, alert friends and family. However, experts suggest that the follow-ups should always be done in a conventional way. “That is call 911 or a suicide awareness hotline, to reach out to the person directly and get appropriate professional advice,” informs Lauren Hersch Nicholas, assistant professor of health economics at Johns Hopkins University. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline number is 1-800-273-8255.
No comments:
Post a Comment