Discussion SS members who have called the suicide hotline, what happened?

[Suicide]

Idk I've always wondered what would happen if I called them.

 

[logan]

I think it depends on which country you live in, what you said and whether your number was transmitted.

 

[goat]

I called once but I was far too gone with benzos+ alcohol, so I don't really remember how it went I just know I did cause I had a flashback at some point of calling this number then I checked on my calls and yep I really had called.
Absolutely zero recollection of the conversation lol

 

[BlankUser]

No one answered lol

 

[Thegoldenapples]

When I called they just wanted to send me pamphlets. I decided to then see a psychologist who said that talking about my trauma/illness and working through it is toxic and I need to move on and they can't help me. I then saw a psychiatrist who told me that I have weak genes because of the way I responded to my trauma/illness and spent half the time standing up for the medical negligence that started my whole mess. Mental health system is a joke.

 

[logan]

When I called they just wanted to send me pamphlets. I decided to then see a psychologist who said that talking about my trauma/illness and working through it is toxic and I need to move on and they can't help me. I then saw a psychiatrist who told me that I have weak genes because of the way I responded to my trauma/illness and spent half the time standing up for the medical negligence that started my whole mess. Mental health system is a joke.

Yes, but they don't have many more options ...
They cannot solve the real problems ...

 

[Mixo]

I called a hotline in a different city, thinking it would be safer to be more open about my intentions to jump that day. Instead, the cops showed up at my place, took me in handcuffs to a psych ward for 3 days. I guess if you mention ideation that's one thing, but when you're talking about a plan with a real timeline, you can expect to be locked up against your will. I never trusted any hotline again after that.

 

[nolongerhuman]

The lady that answered the phone didn't really seem to give a crap to be honest, but whatever I said must have appeased her because we didn't get cops sent to our house. It went something like this:

"Do you have a therapist?"

"yes"

"Can you stay alive long enough to talk to the therapist?"

"... I guess"

"Okay goodbye"

Your experience may be different however.

 

[WaitingForTheBusInTh]

Basically nothing. But realistically there's not much they can do. So long as you lie about having any plans they won't call the cops (in Canada at least). They can give links to self help crap and resources but they have scripts they have to follow and so there's really nothing they can do. Not that I blame them for that. They're doing their best in a hard position with what they have. It's just that unfortunately what they are equipped with might as well be using a twig as a sword against a dragon.

 

[Remember-Me-Not]

Just called them, and uh lowkey awkward. I did lie to them and said I don't have any suicidal thoughts. Apparently they couldn't hear me well, so I would say something and heard the wrong thing and go off on a tangent.

The person I got had good active listening skills when it came to saying back what I had to say, but their follow up questions are not as superb.

But at the moment I just needed someone physical to talk to. I did ask the question, "Do you think I'll be okay?" and they didn't reply with a yes or no. I would've been okay with a yes tbh.

I don't think I'll call them again anytime soon.

 

[Flau]

Where I live there are no suicide hot lines for adults
My only option is to call the police directly or do nothing, OR police WILL come, "rescue" and put me in a mental hospital for years. Until i actually go crazy.



But i mean... When i called the hotline and i was 17... It was a 2h talk, the call wasn't free of charge (although it shouldve been), the lady was quiet all the time, saying almost nothing and asking me some questions like: "what did you say? repeat that?"
I felt uncomfortable. I said I was suicidal. She suggested me to read a book???? About suicide???????? Okay whatever. She also said she was sleepy (it was 2am locally) and that we dont have all day to "chit-chat", that there are other people waiting for their call to be received.

Like... Each 59:99 minutes the call would drop, so the second time i tried to REconnect i just couldnt get a hold of them and had my 4th attempt.

 

[ClairyFairy]

Idk I've always wondered what would happen if I called them.

Why don't you call them and find out for yourself. If you work for a company that has a 24hr phone line I'd use that over the free ones because they're run by professionals as opposed to volunteers. It's hard to ring them but so is everything

 

[clown_17]

I never called but I used a local text line. They got back to you pretty quickly which was nice. The person on the other side was always nice and respectful but a little clueless. I'd say it's nice as a place to vent although if you've called multiple times you'll see a pattern in the way they speak to you: "that seems hard, I'm sorry" with no real advice on how to fix your situation. It can definitely help some people so it's a good resource still. Also after calling many times (and telling them I was going to kill myself immediately, you can talk about suicide but immediate threats are bad) they called the police on me.

 

[MelancholyMagic]

This is an old post, so I'm sorry if I'm not supposed to comment on it. I don't think the rules say I can't, but, if I'm not supposed to, please say.

I did not call the suicide hotline, but I did use the US National Suicide Prevention "Lifeline" online chat feature one time a few years ago. Why did I use it? I didn't think it would help (I was right). But it is plastered everywhere. Everything that has to do with suicide in normie spaces online has it. I even see it in real life occasionally, like on posters on buildings and whatnot.
So, I used the chat. I did not say I had a plan. Nor did I say I was going to ctb anytime soon. I mentioned how I really want to, but was struggling to overcome the survival instinct, so didn't think I would. After a few minutes, I told the person the chat wasn't helping and ended it.
Several hours later, I heard a knock at the door. Like that powerful, forceful knock that makes you jump out of your seat. The police were there. I did not answer the door, and they eventually left (although I have heard some horror stories of people who had the police force their way in). Afterwards, I got a phone call (how they got my number, I'm unsure) asking me to call them when I had a chance because the hotline was "concerned" about me or something like that.
I never called back, and never heard anything else. But that scared the shit out of me. I'm scared of what would have happened had I opened the door. Probably would have cost $1,000s in unwanted medical bills and a traumatizing experience.
Moral of the Story: NEVER open the door for police. If they want to get in, they can break it down. Otherwise, they can go away. At least in the US, you have no obligation to open it for them. And the US "Lifeline" can and will contact authorities about you, and cops can and will show up at your home. They don't tell you that, but they do. I unfortunately learned that from personal experience.
Note: I've heard the Samaritans (UK) have a policy to not contact authorities. I do not know if this is true or not.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

They told me to go see a counselor at my university and even though I ended up going, it hasn't helped me in the long run at all. How am I supposed to be cured by simple words that can be easily ignored and that I don't even get to experience often enough because every counselor is booked so hard that they're only free once a month.

 

[StarryStarry]

Po Po showed up at my door - didn't even say i was suicidal on the phone - just crying (my daughter had just died). Four cops showed up at my doorstep w/no compassion whatsoever. I would NEVER call again.

 

[Circles]

I feel these stories need to be stickied somewhere or posted to the people who posts that hotline number to show how pointless and sometimes hurtful that damn number is. Granted I'm sure the people who work there aren't paid enough, doesn't have enough staff, long hours, and aren't trained enough to help but if that's the best society can offer as help then holy hell that's pathetic.

 

[mk01]

I texted a hotline in the uk and it wasn't really helpful, she just kept asking what she can do to help and I wasn't sure. I mean how many people know exactly what support they need, if I knew I wouldn't have texted. She also cut the convo short because she said I don't think I know how to help you

 

[WonderingSoul]

A lady answered the phone. She seemed bored judging from her tone, and told me to call 911 or my dad. That's all.

 

[Manaaja]

TLDR-version would be: "You have talked too much. Let's end the phone call." and then she ended the call, and I was left alone and crying.

 

[Wrennie]

Nobody answered.
I called TWICE.
And people wonder why websites like this exist.
It's because the mental health systems are broken.
& even if they'd sectioned me, all it would've done is traumatize me further.
Nobody knows what to do to help us. When we cry out, they hurt us even more.

 

[Mixo]

The one and only time I ever fully opened up about suicide was on a crisis hotline. Long story short: hospitalized against my will for a few days. Never again. Never ever ever again.

 

[Manaaja]

Nobody answered.
I called TWICE.
And people wonder why websites like this exist.
It's because the mental health systems are broken.
& even if they'd sectioned me, all it would've done is traumatize me further.
Nobody knows what to do to help us. When we cry out, they hurt us even more.

It really is awful. Often it feels like either they don't answer, if they answer they don't care, or if they care they threaten to call the cops.

Btw, I checked the website in your bio (I'd have messaged you, but you have messaging blocked). If I reported every psychiatrist that had treated me like I was less than trash, I'd have to probably report 100% of the psychiatrists I have met, and some of the psychologists too.

I wish psychiatrists didn't exist. I wish I could go to a psychologist, tell them that I have asperger and ADD, and get permanent disability benefits for the rest of my life. I prefer psychologists since every psychiatrist I've met was a power-hungry narcissist. Though even more, I prefer personal assistants.

The difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist and a personal assistant:

I: I was feeling really good mentally until a new neighbor moved and now I can't sleep because they make so much noise during the night.
Psychiatrist: Every person except me has every mental issue ever, here, take the 4095854209825409 different pills ten times a day for the rest of your life. And remember, I can always jail you if you oppose me.
Psychologist: How does that make you feel? You said it makes you feel angry and sad and tired, could we describe it further? Also, do you have any mechanics that help you sleep? Maybe drawing a mind map about your feelings...
Assistant: I can go and tell the neighbor to shut the fuck up and report it to the police and the landlords. And if that doesn't help, I'll help you to find another home so that you can sleep well again.

Well, not all assistants were that nice, but most were at least more practical and useful than any of the retarded "I don't care why you feel or think that way, take the meds or I'll jail you" and "Why does insomnia make you feel tired? Can you tell me more about your feelings?" pieces of shit.

Argh! Few things are more annoying (except for narcissists) than those psychologists who act like robots and ask stupid, useless stuff like "Why did your friend's death make you feel sad?".

When I read a book or watch a movie, I never have to think why someone feels the way they do! Meanwhile a psychiatrist would tell the protagonist to buy and eat a million pills the moment they are born before the hero has even took their first breath and the psychologist would constantly ask the hero "What are you feeling? Why are you feeling it?". I truly hope the afterlife doesn't have a single psychologist or psychiatrist.

 

[stellabelle]

It's a waste.

Don't bother calling any of those stupid numbers because they just sit there and go awwww and then throw you in jail. They're fucking coercive and fucked up and then you get charged $1000 and your house burglarized.

 

[Sister of the Moon]

The UK Samaritans have been very kind to me when I have called. They don't really advise, they just lent a listening ear and after a while I could see things more clearly. I felt marginally better.

 

[squidgirl]

i texted the text line a few times, because i had no idea places like this existed. they were awful. the convo just followed the same steps every time:

- i explain my situation, and preemptively explain why the common responses are meaningless to me
- they say those common responses
- i get frustrated with them because i'm waiting 3 minutes between each response and they won't even take that time to read what i'm saying
- they say they can't help me
- optional step: if i had stupidly said i had a plan, like the first time i texted them, police arrive at door and i get a free 2 week vacation

0/10 would not recommend

 

[KTbear]

I haven't called but once did a brief online chat. They told me to go to therapy.

 

[ghost_]

they ended up hanging up on me lmao

 

[A_miStake_of_NATURE]

I had a chat (hotline) once with someone in the United States while I was home, in Russia. We talked. It was nice.

 

[Onkyo74893]

I called a hotline in a different city, thinking it would be safer to be more open about my intentions to jump that day. Instead, the cops showed up at my place, took me in handcuffs to a psych ward for 3 days. I guess if you mention ideation that's one thing, but when you're talking about a plan with a real timeline, you can expect to be locked up against your will. I never trusted any hotline again after that.

Yes HalfRight, A suicide hotline might work for some people, but I'd never call one. For the reason you gave of the cops possibly showing up at my door. I once went to a mental crisis center on my own. What a mistake. If you didn't feel suicidal when you went in there, you sure would by the time you got out. Mental health care is a joke. At least in the part of the country/world where I live.