Psychologists in Russia have seen a surge in calls from people experiencing suicidal thoughts in the wake of Kremlin foe Alexei Navalny’s death, according to an outreach group. The group Without Prejudice, which was set up after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to help Russian speakers experiencing a crisis, told Mozhem Obyasnit on Wednesday it had received more than 1,000 appeals for help after Navalny was reported dead last week. About 35 percent of callers were experiencing an “acute” crisis with suicidal feelings, the group said, adding that that figure surpassed even the number of calls received immediately after the start of the war. About 80 percent of callers were said to be inside Russia, with many of them expressing sentiments like “They’ve stolen our future” and “I want to go with Alexei,” the group said. Mozhem Obyasnit noted that a Telegram bot devoted to mental health had also reported a 20-fold increase in people reporting suicidal thoughts after Navalny’s death.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.
