Suicide is quickly becoming a major public health concern in Lebanon with one person dying of suicide every 3 days and one person attempting suicide every 6 hours. In 2014, suicide rates witnessed a 30% increase from the previous year. Despite this growing concern, few preventive measures are being taken to tackle the issue of suicidality. Ergo, Embrace has established the first national suicide prevention helpline in Lebanon and the Middle East, Embrace Lifeline.
The helpline number is 1564 and consists of a specialized telephone service that provides over-the-phone emotional support, suicide risk assessment, collaborative problem solving, and referrals to community mental health resources. The helpline operates every day (Monday to Sunday) from 12 pm (noon) until 2 am. Volunteer helpline operators who have all undergone a 3-day intensive suicide risk assessment and crisis intervention training are responsible for answering calls. At each shift, two operators are present. Embrace Lifeline currently has 40 volunteers who rotate in pairs between four 3.5 hr shifts.
Since suicide and mental illness are considered taboo in the Lebanese culture, the helpline offers a safe and confidential outlet for people who are in distress, feeling suicidal or are worried about a loved one. The callers can choose to remain anonymous if they wish and although the calls are recorded for quality assurance purposes, the operators emphasize the fact that the recordings are kept confidential at all times with only the helpline manager and supervisor having access to them.
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