Help Experiences with suicide hotlines and are they safe?

[ImpairedLowlife]

Could anybody share their experience with suicide hotlines? I know they're gonna be incredibly prolife, but still, were they at least trying to calm you down, give advice et cetera? Or did they judge you, call you weak or anything like this?
Tonight I genuinely considered calling one, but decided not to do so at least yet. I really don't want to end up in a psych ward. So there's another question: are they generally safe and anonymous?

 

[Sleeper System]

They won't give you what you're looking for. They're pitiful humans the same as us with no more insight about life than we have ourselves. Don't waste your time. You are better off here with people who actually get it. Fuck hotlines. I recently had my eyes opened to the fact that those people work together with rehabs, psychologists, etc and it's all a money grab with insurance companies to exploit your issues.

 

[Lulzacruel]

it honestly depends on each
as someone who literally worked at a national one in canada and italy its a dice game.
search up the laws in your local country or state/province as they might legally be forced to snitch on you
i cant say more because again, very different
NOTE: WE HAVE NO SCRIPT. any stupid or nice thing the operator says is not planned. they are fully to blame for your bad or good experience

 

[ImpairedLowlife]

I recently had my eyes opened to the fact that those people work together with rehabs, psychologists, etc and it's all a money grab with insurance companies to exploit your issues.

I mean I won't go to the psychologist or all the more so rehab anyways. I'd rather just kill myself tbh. Even if i recover which is really unlikely I won't see any psychologists or take any meds. I know it's not the best mindset if you want to recover, but that's what I'm dead set on.

 

[MyLifeisHell]

No, they are not generally anonymous. They will contact EMS If they feel you are an imminent threat to yourself. Of course, it will only get to that point depending on what information you give. Either don't reveal or deny that you are an imminent risk (for example, you're going to hang yourself in 2 hours).

They are specifically trained to not to give advice and they won't if you directly ask then for some. They're there to talk through you through your feelings and hopefully get you to a calmer emotional place.

Whether they're effective at that is the epitome of YMMV.

 

[Sleeper System]

I mean I won't go to the psychologist or all the more so rehab anyways. I'd rather just kill myself tbh. Even if i recover which is really unlikely I won't see any psychologists or take any meds. I know it's not the best mindset if you want to recover, but that's what I'm dead set on.

It's a waste of time. There are some people who just want to speak to someone and be heard. They will do that certainly. but if you're experiencing depression and suicidal ideation on a significant frequency, that won't help you at all.

The longer you live with depression the less the conventional means of "dealing with it" tend to work on you. No one can ever talk me out of my feelings about life or recover me. I will either die a bitter old man or ctb before that happens.

 

[Kalista]

I had mixed experiences. My main reason for calling them is to be able to speak to a person who actually cares -- or at least that's how I imagined it. The problem is you can't tell them everything or you're going straight to the hospital when you just wanted someone to listen for the moment. Someone to vent to that's not family or friends.

There was one woman who just bombarded me with advice in a frustrated tone before I could even fully explain what I was feeling. Until I just stayed quiet for a good few seconds. I think she realized what the fuck she did after. She'd ask questions and I'd only give her one or two word responses then eventually she tried to end that whole shit call with "I hope you feel better. Take care, okay?"

Another woman was nice. She was calm and caring sounding so it made me feel better. The advice I couldn't care any less for because it's the typical find distractions to soothe yourself such as new hobbies, physical activities..etc. It made me want to talk to her for a longer period but they have a time limit.

There was this one guy who I ended up talking to twice in a row in two separate days. He tried to make me feel better during my break-up. I'd say it was a decent call with him. You can tell he's really trying to think of what to say and not sound too repetitive.

One call I told her that I'm calling because I'm feeling suicidal and I'm taking the initiative before it gets any worse. I couldn't fully talk to this person either because if I wasn't suicidal or planning on doing anything, she doesn't want to be on the phone with me. You can hear how much "care" they're placing on the situation. Had to explicitly say I only want someone to talk to, so please just listen. It's like I was the one trying to take control of the situation instead of them.

The rest are typical calls where they "listen," give you advice, make sure if you're having suicidal thoughts, not a danger to yourself or others, you don't have a plan or have written a suicide note. They will ask what your plan is and from there, it's a snowball effect.

So you can't tell them the full details or admitting any suicide thoughts and plans because the "listening" stops almost immediately, then cops, firefighters, and paramedics will end up coming to your place afterwards. Making the whole situation even worse for most. They are obligated to act on it.
You're better off trying to find someone to talk to on here because everything about the Suicide Hotline is pro-life.

 

[MatrixPrisoner]

If you are trying to find exactly where you need to go receive pretty much immediate public medical services for getting psych meds, then it is worth calling. If you're seeking support in the form of any type of useful counseling by people competent to do so, you will be disappointed. Whatever you do, DO NOT even insinuate that you have immediate suicidal ideation. If they don't feel assured that you are not a danger to yourself by the time you hang up, they WILL send the cops to find you.

 

[SobGoblin]

Safe, but ultimately pointless. I've called the holine and after a 30 minute wait was told to go outside and reach out to the people around me as I sat in my empty apartment alone. Had the nerve to tell me I was being lazy and making excuses when I tried to explain my deep fear of other humans.

Waste of fucking time.

 

[cosmic_traveler]

My experience with 211 in Wisconsin was terrible. They call the police even when you're crystal clear that you have no immediate plan.

"Warming Lines" were always much better.

As a whole, my experience with mental health professionals has been poor.

 

[Little_Suzy]

Crisis hotlines that focus on suicide prevention are a subset of the larger 911 system. They will send help in an emergency, just like 911.

Telling someone you want to hurt yourself can lead to a safety check.

Most people have no expertise in suicide prevention and can only assist us with personal issues such as medical transportation, babysitting, pet and house sitting, finances, or acting as our liaison.

If you say you're not hurting yourself and just need to vent, people you can trust and "pro-choice" forums are more likely to listen without calling 911.

 

[cosmosis]

it honestly depends on each
as someone who literally worked at a national one in canada and italy its a dice game.
search up the laws in your local country or state/province as they might legally be forced to snitch on you
i cant say more because again, very different
NOTE: WE HAVE NO SCRIPT. any stupid or nice thing the operator says is not planned. they are fully to blame for your bad or good experience

I had to reply to say I love your profile picture, I am a huge John Denver Fan. I saw your profile pic and was like wait, what?? That is far out! You have very good taste. Also it is good to know about the script, I always wondered about that

 

[DeadHead]

Any hotline in any country will trace your call and report you to police if they think you might do something.
They have to, because of liability.

So it's a pointless exercise. Their role is only to listen, they can't be expected to solve your problems or give you answers in 1 call.

As another user quite rightly said, this is the best place to speak freely and be understood in respect of suicide.