The Bondi Beach tragedy shaped the largest ever wave of demand for Lifeline’s crisis support services. Need was immense and urgent as folks immediately started searching for assistance after the catastrophe. On Monday, the national organization set a record with 4,329 calls that day, making it the fifth highest volume day in its history. The volume of outgoing calls has skyrocketed, increasing 1,900 percent. This rise is a testament to the community’s immediate and ongoing need for support after the traumatic incident.
Lifeline’s Chief Executive Officer, Graham Strong stated the urgent need for assistance in the wake of the shooting. He praised the organization for how quickly it was able to mobilize resources to handle the surge of calls and deliver the help people need most. This unprecedented spike in demand is a testament to the immediate, tragic impact of that demand. Unfortunately, it underscores a greater demand for mental health resources in the weeks ahead.
Lifeline’s Response and Increased Demand
The daily 24-hour period from midnight Sunday to Monday would remain as Lifeline’s busiest day in 2025. Over 700 deep crisis supporters joined together to address this urgent need. They worked around the clock to deliver the critical aid that people in crisis desperately needed, just when they needed it most. Strong expressed his concern regarding the ongoing need for support, stating, “We expect that we will see a significant jump over the next few days … as people start to reflect on what happened, they’re going to need to reach out to get some support.”
The need for Lifeline’s services went way past just phone calls. Twitch just last week saw an amazing 150 percent increase in web traffic during this time. This is demonstrative of the fact that millions of Americans did a proactive search for more resources online. Strong confirmed that Lifeline was prepared for this surge, saying, “When the incident happened, our team began working right away to ensure that we would have the capacity in place to absorb more calls.”
Lifeline worked closely with core mental health advocacy partners. Together, they were able to coordinate a national grassroots response to the Bondi shooting. This combined effort serves as a great reminder of how impactful community support can be in times of crises.
Broader Impact and Community Response
The trauma of the shooting rippled far through the community and beyond those directly involved. Social media can intensify trauma from these experiences and events, Dr. Pramudie Gunaratne, a mental health researcher, pointed out. “Events like this, they don’t just end when the sirens stop. They echo through communities for months and sometimes even years,” he noted. Kathuren Gunaratne encouraged people to take breaks from social media coverage of the event. He cautioned that overexposure may be alarming and increase psychological distress.
Another mental health organization, Beyond Blue, saw a spike in calls from people impacted by the Bondi tragedy. Community leaders and mental health professionals have been vocal about the necessity of accessing available support services in light of recent events.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reminded everyone affected by the mass shooting to reach out to support services such as Lifeline. His statement is an important reminder of the need for mental health support in times of crises.
“Sunday’s tragedy will have, of course, an immediate and lasting impact on many Australians, but for the Jewish community here in Sydney and nationally, first responders and people in Bondi and Sydney, the impact will be particularly acute.” – Graham Strong
Looking Ahead: Anticipating Future Needs
As Lifeline looks to support the capacity for expected future increases in call volume, Strong is still fiercely attentive to the needs of her community and the country at large. He stated, “We do expect that this will go above our busiest day ever and we’re preparing for that.” By taking this proactive approach, we hope to make sure that Lifeline is equipped to support people who are still working through the effects of trauma.
Mental health experts emphasize that one does not need to be physically present at an event to experience psychological effects. This deeper community can experience profound emotional impact as they work through these events.
Dr. Gunaratne stressed the ongoing need to be conscious about how we consume media in the wake of these incidents. “Staying informed is important, but that endless replay is not protective,” he advised. He encouraged people to be mindful of their exposure to disturbing material, which can worsen trauma and impede healing.
