ABC News Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? OffOn But it's still too early to grasp COVID-19's full impact on mental health. • 6 min read How can you help a suicidal person? If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images When the pandemic hit more than a year ago, rates of depression soared, with 28% of respondents in one survey reporting depressive symptoms compared with 9% before COVID-19. As levels of depression rise, public health experts typically expect suicide rates to follow. But two new studies show deaths by suicide possibly declined during the pandemic's early months.