Help Experience with suicide hotlines?

[falling_snow]

Though I am seeking help through therapy, i am thinking of calling a suicide hotline. Therapy "helps" but i am afraid of speaking of some topics, so i might call an anonymous hotline to talk about it.

Has anybody any experience w these hotlines and how they deal with it? They are definitely pro life but whatever, im probably just going to vent.

 

[Dot]

Though I am seeking help through therapy, i am thinking of calling a suicide hotline. Therapy "helps" but i am afraid of speaking of some topics, so i might call an anonymous hotline to talk about it.

Has anybody any experience w these hotlines and how they deal with it? They are definitely pro life but whatever, im probably just going to vent.

Depnds on cntry

Ht-lnes in sme cntries follw a scrpt & wll contct EMS if thy thnk tht u r an immdi8 rsk 2 urslf

Th/ ht-lne tht slf volnteerd wth wll allw u t/ vnt & tlk abt wht u nd 2 fr up t/ 45 mns & wll nt cll EMS w/o ur permssn

If u jst nd sme1 t/ listn 2 ur feelngs thn = alwys wrth a try imo

 

[INTJme]

The only time I called a suicide hotline, nobody picked up. Sure, it was in the middle of the night somewhere between 3-4 AM but it was supposed to be a 24/7 hotline service! Hilarious

 

[falling_snow]

God, this i shitty, now that i think about it, ive necpver heard a nice review on suicide hotlines. I just thought this because everytime i search sasu, they just recommend to call the national one (024, im in spain). But i might give them a try, i dont think theres much to lose.

 

[Suicidebydeath]

Generally seem not that great, hit-and-miss, you could give it a try, they just might not be very helpful for me.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Good if you're looking for a 20 year old.with no relevant life experience to harp on how brave and strong you are and tell you to take a bubble bath.

 

[falling_snow]

Would it be like "Oh dont do it, its just a permanent solution to a temporary problem, dont ctb, a lot of people live you, wah wah wah wah wah"
Fucking crybabies, if they do this im hanging (stopping the call, pun not intended)

Good if you're looking for a 20 year old.with no relevant life experience to harp on how brave and strong you are and tell you to take a bubble bath.

 

[billie]

I've never called a hotline like this before but I don't dare

 

[HopingOnaMiracle]

I had a conversation for about an hour years ago with a depression hotline. It was a decent conversation but I didn't get much out of it.

 

[waitingforme]

I call them and I can't say that they say anything that makes me realise life is worth living or that I don't want to CTB but, what I do feel is exhausted after talking, crying, thinking and then I'm just so tired I fall asleep or collapse from all the emotions I've just experienced. So no they, as in the person/call line, don't say anything that helps but my energy to follow through is exhausted. I know one day I'm not going to call because I'm going to need the emotions and energy to CTB. That moment is coming closer and closer

 

[Christopher Reeve]

I used these lines a few times but it wasn't of much help to me, they always said the same words that we've all heard, just once I called I had a somewhat satisfactory conversation, the person went off script and told me their thoughts too .

 

[Redleaf1992]

I think about calling smaritan hotline (UK) sometimes to as a place to vent about all the stuff I can't vent about elsewhere. But I don't trust how confidential they are, and what's the point of it if I'm still having to hold back want I wanna say?

 

[Dot]

I think about calling smaritan hotline (UK) sometimes to as a place to vent about all the stuff I can't vent about elsewhere. But I don't trust how confidential they are, and what's the point of it if I'm still having to hold back want I wanna say?

Slf volnteerd fr thm in Englnd yrs ag/

If protcl = th/ sme as b4 ws thn all clls r confdentl - u cn chnge ur 1st nme if u wn2 whn u cll fr xtra anonymty bt thy histrclly only cll EMS wth ur permssn

Slf ws nt allowd t/ dscuss methds wth callrs bt on evry cll slf hd 2 ask callrs if thy r suicdl - & thn tlk abt thr feelngs etc arnd tht & reasns or whtevr th/ callr wantd t/ tlk abt -- volnteers r nt allowd t/ try 2 chnge a callrs mnd eithr wy - jst 2 b thre 2 listn

Mny callrs wre nt suicdl & jst wantd sme1 t/ tlk 2

 

[willitpass]

I've used the text line several times. They take forever to link you with someone and then their responses are slow and usually just scripted.

Usually it would go like this:
"I'm having a crisis about XYZ"
"I'm sorry to hear that. That sounds so hard. Tell me more"
"blah blah blah"
"That sounds very difficult. May I ask, do you have any thoughts of hurting yourself"
"Yes but I don't plan on acting on it" (always a lie but I don't want to get the cops sent on me)
"I'm glad to hear you don't plan on acting on it. What are some coping skills you like?"
They then tell you to try some menial coping skill that never once has helped me in a suicidal crisis. My favorites were eat a brownie, paint, and go on a walk at midnight as a young female. Then they hang up.

I've only had one experience with a crisis like be helpful and it was because I was having a panic attack, I wasn't even suicidal.

 

[Redleaf1992]

Slf volnteerd fr thm in Englnd yrs ag/

If protcl = th/ sme as b4 ws thn all clls r confdentl - u cn chnge ur 1st nme if u wn2 whn u cll fr xtra anonymty bt thy histrclly only cll EMS wth ur permssn

Slf ws nt allowd t/ dscuss methds wth callrs bt on evry cll slf hd 2 ask callrs if thy r suicdl - & thn tlk abt thr feelngs etc arnd tht & reasns or whtevr th/ callr wantd t/ tlk abt -- volnteers r nt allowd t/ try 2 chnge a callrs mnd eithr wy - jst 2 b thre 2 listn

Mny callrs wre nt suicdl & jst wantd sme1 t/ tlk 2

Ah useful to know thank you, maybe I will give it a go. I heard they had to change their policy's before hopefully not too different.

 

[xxRoro]

They're good for venting and they may give u some resources but I think that's not enough for most of us

 

[Dot]

Ah useful to know thank you, maybe I will give it a go. I heard they had to change their policy's before hopefully not too different.

u cn alwys ask thm - thy wll nt b allowd t/ lie 2 u

 

[Redleaf1992]

u cn alwys ask thm - thy wll nt b allowd t/ lie 2 u

Thanks, may give its go

 

[unabletocope]

Hit and miss but they are worth trying

 

[CocoToxBase]

Reaching out to a suicide hotline can sometimes feel like you're dialing into a cosmic call center where the universe puts you on hold. You're expecting a lifeline but instead you get 'Your existential crisis is very important to us. Please hold for the next available operator.' And when you finally get through, it's like talking to someone who's reading from a script for troubleshooting a malfunctioning appliance not navigating the stormy seas of your soul. 'Have you tried turning your mood off and on again?' or 'Please check that you're not surrounded by negative energy sources.' You hang up thinking maybe next time.

 

[unabletocope]

Reaching out to a suicide hotline can sometimes feel like you're dialing into a cosmic call center where the universe puts you on hold. You're expecting a lifeline but instead you get 'Your existential crisis is very important to us. Please hold for the next available operator.' And when you finally get through, it's like talking to someone who's reading from a script for troubleshooting a malfunctioning appliance not navigating the stormy seas of your soul. 'Have you tried turning your mood off and on again?' or 'Please check that you're not surrounded by negative energy sources.' You hang up thinking maybe next time.

One time I called one, I had an indepth chat with someone for about 40 min and at one point as we were talking through issues they referred to me working through issues as the equivalent of being inside a washing machine going round and round, not sure why but your cosmic analogy reminded me of that

 

[ringo99]

I hate to break it to you but suicide hotlines even in countries with well managed healthcare infrastructure suck HARD. Most of them just follow a script and won't really engage in deep conversations since the employees are usually just high school grads or people in between jobs who don't really care or have the skills to actually help. A lot of people who are suicidal are feeling terrible in the moment and just want someone to talk to and vent. Most who are dead set on ctb won't even bother calling the hotlines. Overall it's a cosmetic measure that allows governments to pretend that they give a shit about the mentally ill without doing anything permanent.

 

[lnlybnny]

where i live they just listen to you talking and repeat what you said after you, that's it

 

[alltoomuch2]

I think about calling smaritan hotline (UK) sometimes to as a place to vent about all the stuff I can't vent about elsewhere. But I don't trust how confidential they are, and what's the point of it if I'm still having to hold back want I wanna say?

I've called them and they are confidential. They'll only call emergency services if you've taken something and go unconscious on the phone. They'll break confidentiality if someone else is at risk eg ongoing child abuse. They say that suicide is your decision to make and they respect that. Can be very slow to get through to them sometimes. I find them useful to vent to when everything's too much. SHOUT (the texting service)) call emergency services if they think you're about to do something suicidal. I didn't know that until 2 nights ago when they said they would call emergency services if I didn't agree to doing a safety plan with them. On the few occasions I've used SHOUT and Samaritans it has helped just to pour it all out to them and they're the only people I know who are kind and non-judgemental

 

[BlendedHeart]

I didn't know there were so many variants of "I understand" until I called one.

 

[Kit1]

Though I am seeking help through therapy, i am thinking of calling a suicide hotline. Therapy "helps" but i am afraid of speaking of some topics, so i might call an anonymous hotline to talk about it.

Has anybody any experience w these hotlines and how they deal with it? They are definitely pro life but whatever, im probably just going to vent.

In the UK, the suicide hotlines can see our numbers even when we have withheld it and will call in safeguarding if they thought we were actively suicidal.

 

[Redleaf1992]

I've called them and they are confidential. They'll only call emergency services if you've taken something and go unconscious on the phone. They'll break confidentiality if someone else is at risk eg ongoing child abuse. They say that suicide is your decision to make and they respect that. Can be very slow to get through to them sometimes. I find them useful to vent to when everything's too much. SHOUT (the texting service)) call emergency services if they think you're about to do something suicidal. I didn't know that until 2 nights ago when they said they would call emergency services if I didn't agree to doing a safety plan with them. On the few occasions I've used SHOUT and Samaritans it has helped just to pour it all out to them and they're the only people I know who are kind and non-judgemental

Good to hear thanks for the input

In the UK, the suicide hotlines can see our numbers even when we have withheld it and will call in safeguarding if they thought we were actively suicidaL

Gah this contradicts what other ppl saying lol - who have you used before?

 

[Kit1]

I think about calling smaritan hotline (UK) sometimes to as a place to vent about all the stuff I can't vent about elsewhere. But I don't trust how confidential they are, and what's the point of it if I'm still having to hold back want I wanna say?

Actually Samaritans do keep information confidential with very few exceptions - if the caller was a child, a threat to others etc. Even if someone calls them when they are about to end their life, they will listen and not call in safeguarding if the caller doesn't want them to - theyvare exempt from the usual process.

 

[Redleaf1992]

Actually Samaritans do keep information confidential with very few exceptions - if the caller was a child, a threat to others etc. Even if someone calls them when they are about to end their life, they will listen and not call in safeguarding if the caller doesn't want them to - theyvare exempt from the usual process.

That's really cool, thanks. Confidentiality is so important for a hotline

 

[Kit1]

Good to hear thanks for the input

Gah this contradicts what other ppl saying lol - who have you used before?

SP-UK and SOS - I think.