Mental Health and Suicide
“Whoever suffers mental illness always bears God’s image and likeness, and has an inalienable right to be considered a person and treated as such.”
-St. Pope John Paul II
Join us in honoring Mental Health Awareness Month in May
Novena to St. Dymphna
St. Dymphna is the patroness for those who suffer from mental illness, and her feast day is on May 15. Pray with special intention for St. Dymphna’s intercession for those affected by mental illness.
Compassion Fatigue and Resilience: Webinar with Dr. Xavier Cagigas
The events in the past year have tested emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual endurance. Experts refer to the exhaustion and depletion that many have felt as compassion fatigue. As guidelines continue to change, restrictions lessen, our families and communities are called to transition and adjust once more. Individuals continue to process grief and trauma from the past year while adapting to a new sense of normalcy. Learn the signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue and how to face each day with resilience and hope.
Become a Member of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers: Los Angeles Chapter
All mental health ministers are invited to join the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. Visit the LA Chapter Website to learn more.
Read a Pastoral Letter on Mental Illness from the Bishops of California
Hope and Healing: A Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of California on Mental Illness
PDF – English, Spanish or Vietnamese Study Guide – English
Mental Health Resources
LA Department of Mental Health: Contact LA County’s mental health department which offers assistance via 24/7 hotlines, online support, and a specific care hotline for those needing spiritual and mental support.
For 24/7 assistance, call 1-800-854-7771
For online resources and support visit the Department of Mental Health website.
CLUE Spiritual Care Hotline, created by the LA Department of Mental Health’s Faith Based Advocacy Council for laity consumers seeking spiritual, emotional support, during COVID: 213-477-7468.
Bilingual and Bicultural Mental Health Care: UCLA’s Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence (HNCE) has partnered with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to meet the specific mental health needs of bilingual and bicultural Latino/a individuals. To contact the UCLA Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence, call (310) 206-9326 or email basictconsults@mednet.ucla.edu
Catholic Mental Health Professionals:
Visit Catholic Therapists to find a Catholic mental health practitioner in your area. Complete the form on their web page to connect with someone over the phone or online.
CatholicPsych has wonderful online assistance as well. Complete a contact form and be connected with a therapist within 24 hours.
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): This organization is made up of local chapters and provides education, services, and support for those struggling with mental health issues. Find your local chapter here.
Suicide Prevention and Awareness
If someone you know is facing suicidal thoughts,
- Call 1-800-273-TALK (24-hour hotline)
- Visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org
TeenLine: Offers a teen to teen hotline where youth can talk about their struggles with someone who ‘gets it’, a trained teen volunteer. The hotline is supervised by mental health professionals who provide support to teen volunteers. It provides a safe, non judgmental space for youth to reach out anonymously to talk about their stress, learn ways to cope, identify their support network and get helpful resources.
Youth can contact the hotline any night of the week from 6-10PM PST at (800) 852-8336 or text TEEN to 839863 (6-9PM PST).
Get Involved:
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15-24, and the suicide rate for girls aged 10-14 has tripled in recent years. About 90% of people who have died by suicide suffered from depression or another diagnosable mental health condition. If you recognize someone struggling, you can support them. Be a good friend. Talk to them, pray with them, ask them if they’ve thought about suicide, and suggest they react out for professional help. There is hope and healing in Christ, who loves each of us beyond measure. And we can be His hands and feet to our brothers and sisters with mental illness.
Pray for Those Experiencing Mental Illness and Suicidal Ideation
- Organize a Blessing of the Sick
- Organize a rosary, Holy Hour, Divine Mercy Chaplet or other prayer service at your parish.
Assist Your Parish in How to Address Mental Health
- Suicide Prevention: How to Talk About Suicide – Helpguide
- Depression and Suicide: A Catholic Perspective – Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, National Catholic Register
- What You or Your Friends Need to Know About Suicidal Thoughts – Leah Darrow, FOCUS
- Why Does God Let Us Suffer – video by Chris Stefanick
Educate Students with Respect Life Week Curriculum
Explore the Respect Life Week resources for Mental Health and invite students, at a grade-appropriate level, to understand why we believe what we do and what we can do to build a Culture of Life right here in LA.
Keep these Phone Numbers on Hand
Learn More with Angelus News Articles
- Not your fault: ‘13 Reasons Why’ is not the awareness we need
- Catholic leaders urge extreme caution for new Netflix series
- How to foster a culture of life: A suicide survivor’s miraculous witness
- Can the Catholic Church help an addicted generation?
- Suicide and mental health
- Canada’s ‘Commit Life’ campaign fights suicide with message of hope
- An obituary for suicide
- The stigma of suicide
- Struggling to understand suicide
- Our misunderstandings about suicide
- Suicide: Reclaiming the memory of our loved one
- We’re more likely to jail the mentally ill than get them help
- Drugs ‘a new form of slavery’ Pope Francis says
- Marijuana scores badly in a new ‘entirely predictable’ report
- At the heart of a tragedy of addiction
- Young, white Americans are addicted to this (and what Catholic should do about it)