In today’s digital world, with the power of connectivity at our fingertips, we’re working to help people be the best they can be, including when it comes to mental health and wellness. While you might think of us as merely a phone company, we’re so much more. The fact is, we’re in the business of creating connections. And the power of connection, when it comes to our mental health and wellbeing, is incredibly significant.
With more than three in five Americans reporting feeling lonely, connectivity is more critical than ever. Today, with the tap of a screen, you can get connected – to a new club or community organization, to a distant friend or older relative, to a community where you feel less alone.
But building connections takes more than our individual actions, it takes all of us working together. From life-saving new resources like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to providing resources to our public safety heroes, let’s see how we’re working together to connect more Americans to the tools they need for mental health and wellness.
Hope Has a New Number
We believe that making it easier for those in crisis to access trained health professionals can diminish the stigma surrounding suicide, mental health, and substance use disorders – ultimately saving lives.
Fully launched in July 2022, 988 is a 3-digit code that will route callers and texters to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Anyone in the U.S. experiencing mental health-related distress can call 988, text 988, or chat via 988lifeline.org for care and support. Friends and family members may also contact 988 for advice for loved ones.
Visit 988lifeline.org to learn more and connect to help.
Creating Connection with Smartphones
Technology today has advanced to a point where a myriad of resources are available by simply powering up your smartphone or other connected device. This includes ways to boost your mental health and wellness.
- Mental health resources including apps for receiving therapy and medication from licensed professionals,
- Meditation, sleep monitoring and other wellness applications,
- Fitness apps that help encourage you to move your body and connect with others to boost accountability,
- Access to virtual telehealth appointments with your primary care or other physicians.
And the list goes on. Connected devices, powered by broadband internet and advanced connectivity like 5G, offer a world of resources to create connections.
And while we know these resources make a difference, some populations are more impacted by mental illness and may need additional help.
- As we age, we tend to shed family and friends—which can hurt our mental and physical health. Older Americans can create connection by FaceTiming friends or family or playing word game apps to improve mental dexterity.
- 25+ million rural Americans live in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, where there are too few providers to meet demand. Rural Americans can utilize telehealth to meet their needs for care.
First Responder Health & Wellness
By its very nature, emergency response is stressful. This response has significant mental and physical impacts. Rates of PTSD, depression and anxiety among public safety personnel far exceed the rates of the general population.
That’s why we’ve committed to helping those who help us through the FirstNet®, Built with AT&T Health and Wellness Coalition. The coalition offers resources integrating the expertise and perspectives of first responders, community members, industry leaders and academia to support the health, wellness and readiness of first responders.
- FirstNet’s animal assisted therapy initiative aims to provide some calm and care to first responders working through crises.
- The FirstNet app catalog includes mental health apps designed to help first responders experiencing mental health distress or apps simply to engage with others in addressing social support for their overall mental wellness.
- FirstNet is supporting nonprofits like Boulder Crest and First H.E.L.P. that address mental health in the public safety community directly through valuable trainings that can transform the lives of our first responders and their families.
Together, we’re working to create connections that make an impact on those who need it most. As we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month this May just remember, you are not alone.
