Trump result - calls to suicide lines increase

It has been widely reported in the national press that suicide hot line calls have reached an all-time high in the US since Trump’s election victory became clear.

Whatever we may feel about the result, the fact is that this is the unpredictable way in which things take a turn in a democracy.

The fears being expressed are understandable, particularly for those vulnerable groups who feel that they have become targets for abuse, as a result of the inflammatory rhetoric Trump used in his campaign. There can be no doubt that the language he used was intended to appeal to a certain sector of the population not known for its tolerance or understanding, in order to win over their vote. What I term the ‘hang ‘em and flog ‘em’ brigade. He clearly succeeded in doing just that. What remains to be seen is what he will choose to do with his new-found power and just how many of his radical plans will bear fruition once the cold light of day dawns.

Personally, I am hopeful that Trump’s ego will be sufficient abundant for him to want to go down in history as a successful President and world leader, and that this will be enough for him to temper some of his more outrageous aspirations.

When people become afraid and scared about the future, and feel that they cannot cope, they can often feel that there are few options when it comes to seeking someone who will listen to them in a non-judgmental way.

We are in turbulent times, and whilst there remain such high levels of uncertainty, not just in the USA, but elsewhere in the world, help lines such as those run by Samaritans and other support organisations will continue to be much in demand.

In this country, we are lucky to have a fairly strong support network available, particularly when it comes to issues of sexuality. Perhaps where we ourselves are less tolerant, particularly outside of our major cities, is in our acceptance of immigrants; there is often a high degree of suspicion, and concern over the effect on our society in terms of jobs and educational and health provision.
I am of an age when I can well recall waves of previous immigrants, and living in 1950s London I can remember the ‘no blacks, no Irish’ signs in windows. Thankfully we have moved on from such bigoted behaviour.

If the USA wants to move forward, not backwards, then as a nation it would do well to remember that its success has been built on hard working immigrants, and that tolerance of others’ lifestyles is the hallmark of a truly great nation.

One suggestion has been for people to limit their exposure to social media and TV, a sentiment I wholeheartedly endorse.