If you look at the bottom right hand corner of TTAG’s home page you’ll see a widget for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. We included it because why not? DrVino clicked on the link – don’t worry, he’s OK – and discovered the image above. Clicking on that link brings you here, where you can learn “who is most at risk for emotional distress from incidents of mass violence and where to find disaster-related resources.” Fair enough? I mean . . .
They’re offering counseling to people suffering from emotional distress – for whatever reason. But is this focus on mass shootings – the first image in their slideshow – misplaced? Who kills themselves because of mass violence? Do surviving relatives? Because their loved ones were killed? How often does that happen? It seems relatively harmless, but . . . there are other suicide counseling services. Should we opt out and replace this one?