What do you think an ideal suicide hotline should be like?

[CreatifUsrnam]

Title.

 

[Freedomindeath4me]

I really don't see what they could be doing different honestly, except for not getting authorities involved. Most threats are empty and the vast majority of suicide attempts fail anyway so they should be taught not many people are really going to off themselves anyway.

 

[km0990]

"Yea thanks for taking the call, I would like to order 2 bottles of N please and if you could overnight it........ that would be great"

 

[gogoprince]

A hotline that doesn't involve the threat of the authorities, or EMS being involved thus being: truly non-judgmental. More locally focused: the CTL, for example, has a list of resources that they can give to texters, but a working knowledge of where suicidal folks can go to seek good community and non-judgment would be great. Pairing people, who are willing, with certain volunteers: those individuals texting, or calling in could request a male, or a female for example, older or younger. And there can be some sort of working relationship between the caller and the volunteer rather than anonymous every time. And get rid of this, "You must not really want to kill yourself because you called in" paternalistic nonsense: its patronizing and alienating.

 

[Manaaja]

Sends the caller a free prostitute, a free friend, a free new family, and 100 billion euros.

 

[Soulless Angel]

One where is doesn't tell you to go take a hot bath, or have a cup tea, One where it doesn't belittle you with shit words and quotes from a page that they have to read out!
A ideal hotline, empathy and compassion,

 

[DeprivedofLife666]

One that will actually help get you out of a living situation that you didn't want to be stuck in in the first place that caused you to be suicidal. And fast without having to wait a few days so you're emotionally abusive and gaslighting narcissist family doesn't have time to abuse you further and threaten to break everything electronic that you own.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

You didn't say it had to be realistic so in my opinion, the ideal suicide hotline would be run by a Genie or other powerfully magical being with the ability to grant wishes that would aid their callers with absolutely no drawbacks or negative consequences whatsoever.

 

[lili]

I think not involving the police would be a good place to start.

 

[Someone123]

Telling you where you could ctb peacefully, painlessly, and quickly would be a nice start.

 

[Toonloon]

Hmmmmm preferably staffed with people who have lived. Not fuckin kids under 24 looking to change the world.
Not douchebag assholes who just repeat everything you say. And seriously no threatening to call emergency responders or acting like they know better than you.

 

[Lost Magic]

I've said this before. But I used the Samaritans (in the UK) and they were nothing but helpful. Alright they read off a script, but many of them gave me heartfelt feelings of understanding. One guy even stayed on the phone with me after I popped a lot of pills. And because of all the weight I lost and my heart pounding out my chest, I was hoping I would die that night. I don't believe any hotline should try to save anybody or phone the authorities on them. If a person can be talked out of it, so be it. But if they want to die and just want a compassionate ear on the other side of the phone that's all the better. Everybody's experiences are different and every countries rules may be different regarding intervention and such.

 

[NoPersonality]

Insult me and just tell me to get it over with.

 

[TotallyIsolated]

One with trained operators who don't just tell you "don't do it"