Dr Fiona Pienaar, practice lead for Presbyterian Support Northern, which operates Lifeline, said people are texting the service with more complex issues. These include suicide risk, relationship problems with families, peers, and partners, as well as struggling with anxiety and depression.
Patryk Sobczak/Unsplash
Young people are continuing to struggle with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, expert says (file photo). “Some people may send in 10 texts, while others may have complicated issues that require longer text conversations,” Pienaar said in a press release. It was not known why the number of texts had peaked in April, but it showed that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertainty around the world was continuing to affect young people.
Thursday, 13 May 2021, 3:42 pm
Crisis helpline Lifeline Aotearoa’s text support
service recorded its busiest month ever in April with more
than 30,000 texts sent and received.
This follows a
previous record set in March of 27,000 texts sent and
received.
Both figures are higher than during last
year’s lockdowns when text traffic peaked at 25,000 per
month.
According to Presbyterian Support Northern
(PSN), which operates Lifeline Aotearoa, the figures
represent a growth in the number of text conversations,
mainly involving young people aged between 11 and
20.
PSN professional practice lead Dr Fiona Pienaar
says the increase in text conversations reflects both an
increase in people texting Lifeline and higher