HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — In light of Mica Miller’s death, which was ruled a suicide by the Robeson County Medical Examiner, it’s important to know that there are a lot of resources and options available to assist those going through a mental health crisis.
According to the CDC, more than 12 million Americans seriously thought about suicide in 2021.
None of the mental health care professionals ABC15 spoke with Wednesday could directly address the death of Mica Miller. However, the Assistant Clinical Director at the Waccamaw Center for Mental Health Beth Pace said that if you know someone who is not acting like themselves, the best thing you can do is ask specific questions.
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“Simply asking somebody, ‘Are you having thoughts of ending your life, or are you having thoughts of suicide?’ But be sure that you are encompassing suicide and death because for some people hurting themselves is not the same as death. So, we have to be really careful about what we’re saying and making sure they fully understand our questions,” said Pace.
She is also a Mobile Crisis Supervisor with the South Carolina Mobile Crisis Team. They have a 24-hour hotline (833-364-2274) and a team of professionals who will provide anyone with resources or even come to their location if they deem it necessary.
She wants people to know that it’s okay to ask questions.
Feel confident and know that we are not doing anything to hurt them by asking, finding out what’s going on, listening. Most people don’t truly wish to die,” Pace said. “They’re experiencing pain, and they want that pain to stop. So, we have to keep in mind that often the systems we’re seeing is just someone who wants to end pain, not end their life.
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You can also simply call or text 988 and that will put you in touch with the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Any mental health crisis that you feel like you need help, call. They can either offer you resources or they can dispatch a team to come to you,” Pace said. “So, I don’t want people to feel like my reason for calling may not be significant. I want everybody to know we care.
A counselor at Coastal Haven Counseling in the Carolina Forest agreed and added some advice for those with thoughts of suicide.
If someone is feeling suicidal though, you want to talk to somebody. I mean nobody wants to feel that way, and if you’re talking to somebody like mental health professionals, that’s what we are in business for. We’re here to help people. We are here to help people get out of that train of thought,” said Sandy Quast, a LPCS at Coastal Haven Counseling. “I would definitely try to talk to someone. You just need to take a pause. Take a deep breath. Take a pause. You don’t have to try to think things through. Sometimes your mind gets so jumbled. Somebody else is going to help calm you down, help you get back to rational thinking patterns, and help you make a plan to get out of that train of thought.
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If you or someone you love is struggling with depression or going through a mental health crisis, you’re urged to call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988.
The SC Mobile Crisis hotline is 833-364-2274 and the Deaf Service Hotline is 803-339-3339 or deafhotline@scdmh.org.
There are also a number of state resources available online and self-check questionnaires that can connect you with a professional counselor.