LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — 45-year-old Eleazar Oceguera committed suicide in the back of a police cruiser on Sunday.
It happened in a matter of minutes, but the impact will last much longer.
“We are in a mental health crisis,” said Amy Borcheres, vice president of Outpatient at Centerpointe.
Mental health experts said this is a painful reminder that help needs to reach people before they’re in crisis.
“We will never have enough co-responders based on the number of calls for service we get from community members struggling,” said Police Chief Michon Morrow.
While investigators continue to piece together what happened, Borcheres said it highlights a growing need: Better access to mental health support.
“We do have, unfortunately, limited resources in the community, and there are a lot that people can pull together for things,” she said. “But sometimes people don’t know what they are, they aren’t aware of them, and it’s hard to get into a lot of places at the same time.”
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
Centerpointe works closely with people facing mental illness, addiction, and homelessness — providing resources before pain turns into tragedy.
“Approach them with care, approach them with lack of judgment, and recognize this is something that everyone goes through,” Borcheres said. “And just identifying like ‘Hey, it seems like something is going on, is there any way I can help?’”
Experts said men in their 40s and 50s face some of the highest suicide rates in the country — often hiding their struggles out of fear or stigma.
“There is help out there, you’re not alone, there are people out there that care about you and support you, and though this feels really, really heavy right now, it can get better,” Borcheres said.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is here.
You can call or text 988 or call (402)475-6695 to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline anytime, day or night.
