'Just pick up the phone': Mental health experts raise awareness during the holidays following recent suicides

Mental health awareness during the holidays

Mental Health America found nearly 20% of adults in the US are dealing with a mental illness.

LAND O' LAKES, Fla. - If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (tel:18002738255). Or text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line).

Click here to learn more about the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.

Many knew him as the fun, energetic DJ from The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Social media lit up Wednesday night with remembrances of Stephen Boss. TMZ confirms the man, better known as Twitch, died by suicide.

Ellen DeGeneres wrote on Twitter "I’m heartbroken. Twitch was pure love and light. He was my family and I loved him with all my heart."

Twitch leaves behind his wife and three young children.

His death shows that you never know what someone is going through, and it brings awareness to mental health and just how many people are struggling this time of year. Mental Health America found nearly 20 percent of adults in our country are dealing with a mental illness.

Clara Reynolds from the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is seeing that increase as well, saying this is the busiest time of the year for their call center.

After witnessing mother's death by suicide, Crisis Center CEO lives to help others

*This video contains descriptions of self harm and suicide. Viewer discretion advised.

READ: Lived trauma drives Crisis Center of Tampa Bay CEO's passion for helping others

"While this is considered the happy holidays, the most wonderful time of the year, that is not the case for many of us," she said. "I can promise you if you can just pick up the phone and give us a call were going to help you get to a place of better so that a tragedy like this does not have to be replicated in our community," She explained.

On Tuesday night, a Pasco County husband shot and killed his wife. He injured his 5-year-old daughter, before taking his own life.

In a matter of seconds, a little girl’s life was changed forever inside the gated community of Marchmont in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco sheriff: Murder-suicide sheds light on domestic violence during holiday season

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said a man shot his wife and daughter, then shot himself in Land O'Lakes. Only the child survived. Deputies said it was tragic result of an ongoing domestic situation.

MORE: Pasco sheriff: Father fatally shoots wife, injures 5-year-old daughter before turning gun on himself

"This man, he killed his wife, he shot his daughter," said Sheriff Chris Nocco. "He left his daughter in a world without any parents."

Nocco said the mother did everything right. She got a restraining order against her husband back in August after he was arrested for felony domestic battery.

"This is the sad tragedy that goes on in domestic violence in our communities and every community," he added.

The sheriff said the mother had just paid the babysitter on Tuesday night around 8 p.m. and was heading back towards the house with her 5-year-old daughter when her husband ambushed them. The babysitter saw it happen as she was leaving.

"As she’s backing out, she sees an adult start running towards the mother and the daughter and starts firing rounds. The babysitter then calls 911 immediately," explained Sheriff Nocco.

The mother died, and the girl was shot in the arm.

"The little girl comes out of the house. She says, ‘My daddy is upstairs. He’s inside the master bathroom and I heard a big bang,’" the sheriff described.

SWAT swept the home and found the father dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"We’re seeing mental health calls escalating," Sheriff Nocco said "We’re also scared to death because we know domestic violence calls, unfortunately, tend to go up this holiday season."

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office did not release any further details about where the 5-year-old is at this point, just that she was checked out at the hospital and will be taken care of.

If you or someone you know is struggling, The Crisis Center Hotline is 2-1-1. The National Suicide hotline is 9-8-8. Both have someone available 24/7.

If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (tel:18002738255). Or text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line).

Click here to learn more about the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK for free and confidential emotional support.

Mental Health