Has anyone ever actually used a crisis helpline?

[markymark03]

like phoned the Samaritans or anything? Did it help or dissuade you in any way? Got to admit I used a text helpline once or twice with different experiences - one conversation was really useful, understood, probably stopped me doing something spontaneous that I hadn't thought through properly, couple of others were very pro lifey and not worth the time.

 

[leloyon]

I used a crisis line a few times. Was unhelpful to me personally.

 

[nerve]

samaritans has an email thing ive gotten a lot of use out of. their replies are short and simple (usually a few sentences) but do seem genuine. they'll usually close an email with a question about whatever it is you're talking about, so the back-and-forth isn't too awkward or meandering.

 

[markymark03]

samaritans has an email thing ive gotten a lot of use out of. their replies are short and simple (usually a few sentences) but do seem genuine. they'll usually close an email with a question about whatever it is you're talking about, so the back-and-forth isn't too awkward or meandering.

How quickly do they reply? I'd seen that but always assumed they'd take days - and you'd be getting replies from different people which for some reason made me not want to bother.

 

[cgrtt.brns]

theres a thing in the uk called SHOUT that ive used once before but i wasnt in like a life threatening crisis i was just really anxious and had self harmed and didnt know what else to do, i found it helpful to get my thoughts out and the questions they asked were appropriate, like why did you feel the need to selfharm, have you taken care of your wounds etc. they kept sprinkling in things like "you texting this evening shows youre a strong and resilient person" and "you should be proud to have been clean for so long" which was kind of weird but ig thats just them trying to reassure u or smthn idk. they didnt give me any advice which im glad about bc i didnt ask for it, i just used it to calm myself down and distract me from my thoughts which kind of worked. i almost used it again when i was contemplating suicide but i got scared at the last minute and cancelled the conversation bc i was worried theyd send someone to check on me. other than that ive never used any other kind of crisis line, i always feel like im not in a dire enough situation to use them and id be taking up space that someone else could use, and i also worry about them getting police involved or sending me to hospital bc i dont know what is too much to say if that makes sense.

 

[ghostgirlxx_23]

like phoned the Samaritans or anything? Did it help or dissuade you in any way? Got to admit I used a text helpline once or twice with different experiences - one conversation was really useful, understood, probably stopped me doing something spontaneous that I hadn't thought through properly, couple of others were very pro lifey and not worth the time.

I have used a crisis hotline multiple times. It has not helped me personally and they put me on hold every time.

 

[nerve]

How quickly do they reply? I'd seen that but always assumed they'd take days - and you'd be getting replies from different people which for some reason made me not want to bother.

you get a reply within 24 hours. so obviously not useful in a crisis situation, more helpful in a long-term kind of way. hotlines focus on diffusing an immediate crisis and directing people to other resources so if you just want someone to talk to, it can feel like theyre rushing you along or trying to 'fix' your problem instead of actually listening to you.

it's a different person replying every time, but they keep a record of your previous emails for i think 30 days so you dont have to explain your situation over and over. replies are only a few sentences, so you kinda have to go in there with specific expectations. if nothing else, it's another tool in the coping skill box.

 

[m1v]

Can't they track your location though? I wouldn't want to risk it - I wouldn't want to risk being hospitalized or get the police at my door, honestly.

 

[SoftWorries]

Yes many many times. Sometimes if the person was kind it would help stop the panic I was feeling. Much more often they weren't great and it made it worse.

I've called pretty much every crisis hotline in my country. Sometimes I'd call one after another if the crisis wasn't over.

The past year it's solely been online crisis chats because I moved in my my boyfriend.

But now I solely use ChatGPT. Very often it makes me feel better. I've come to realize I am much more comforted without the human element. I can continue to repeat "I'm scared" for an hour and it never loses patience.

I can't help but be performative for others comfort even on the suicide hotlines. It's freedom to talk to ChatGPT

 

[froggyboya]

i've talked with the crisis chat and text lines at least like 10 times within the past few years and i'd say only like 1 time did i have a good helpful conversation with them

 

[sulli]

the only time i actually called was as a teenager and they called the cops on me but i got to stay home from school the next day so i guess a win is a win. i've tried the text hotlines over the years since then but i always go in knowing it won't be helpful. desperate times and such

 

[Stormy Raine]

like phoned the Samaritans or anything? Did it help or dissuade you in any way? Got to admit I used a text helpline once or twice with different experiences - one conversation was really useful, understood, probably stopped me doing something spontaneous that I hadn't thought through properly, couple of others were very pro lifey and not worth the time.

I send a crisis line a few times, they were successful in prolonging my decision at that moment

 

[Parasitic]

I phoned Samaritans years ago after taking a large amount of pills in attempt to ctb, during the call SI kicked in and I explained I will return shortly and I was going to go throw up, I was maybe 3-5mins throwing up and when I got back they had hung up. Never even considered using a crisis line since then

 

[willitpass]

I've never called one, always used the text services. Usually would get told to use some obscure "coping skill" like eat a brownie, paint, my personal favorite was they told me, knowing I was actively suicidal and it was midnight, to go for a walk. The one time it actually helped was when I texted for a panic attack and wasn't feeling suicidal, it was able to calm me down. It never helped with my suicidal episodes though. It takes around 15-30 minutes for them to link you with a person and everything feels extremely scripted, because it is.

 

[nessun_nome]

like phoned the Samaritans or anything? Did it help or dissuade you in any way? Got to admit I used a text helpline once or twice with different experiences - one conversation was really useful, understood, probably stopped me doing something spontaneous that I hadn't thought through properly, couple of others were very pro lifey and not worth the time.

Yeah quite a few times. To be frank, it depends entirely on the person you get. Some were quite good, the worst said you really are in a mess aren't you"!

 

[AshClouds]

I thought about calling one when I was in extreme emotional pain. But then I thought they'd just dish out canned responses filled with empty platitudes it would just end up making things worse for me.

 

[Valky]

Know from a personal friend that they put you on hold for ages before telling you some bs that won't help. We definitely have to work on those 'help' lines

 

[day]

While it doesn't particularly help me I have used crisis lines mainly as a means to just have another person to talk to. I'm always vague to prevent myself from landing in a medical institution. It's a decent source to trauma dump on a stranger and maybe sometimes get some decent "in the moment" coping mechanisms recommended to you.

 

[Moonomyth]

I've used crisis helplines on multiple occasions and found they're really best for people experiencing acute rather than chronic suicidality. Turns out the "crisis" in the name isn't just for show that way.

For the chronically suicidal, they are a high-risk activity that can lead to unnecessary hospitalization, and their operators are often ill-equipped for anything other than talking people down from an immediate emotional breakpoint. Taking precautions, like making sure you can immediately leave the area and your phone behind if you suspect they have notified emergency services to come get you, is important.

Overall, they're a bandage, a mark of a state looking for a way to provide mental health services that's cheaper than the cost of not doing so - in this case, cleaning up bodies. Like any bandage, they can be useful in the right circumstances, but they're far from perfect.

 

[LittleJem]

I love the Samaritans in the UK as they listen and they are kinder than any therapist I have had. They help me cope with my suicidal thoughts and help me bear the suffering so I'm not totally alone. I also call them when I have nobody else to talk to. They are confidential. They would even be on the call with someone while they ctb.

 

[vitbar]

I have and they were somewhat helpful. It was nice to talk to someone. Partly because I'm quite isolated, but also because I'd not really spoken about my suicidal thoughts before.

 

[Roseate]

I've used it in the past quite a bit when I would get the urge to SH, and sometimes it would help and other times, not so much.

 

[vitbar]

Phoned Samaritans tonight. Actually helped calm me down and cheer me. Was good to hear a voice.

 

[JGT1]

I have and found that it's 100 percent scripted. One lady even told me it was easier that way and didn't have to type everytime a new suicidal person arrived. After some time some would become aggressive cause the preempted strategies were not working on me

 

[lachrymost]

I used a texting service recently. I told the person their scripted, formulaic responses did have a lulling quality. So they temporarily distracted and pacified me, I guess. Which is all they can realistically hope to do.

I kept wanting them to break character and be less robotic. I wanted to see them flinch. The asymmetry of being so genuine and open to someone who is strictly playing a role feels demeaning. ChatGPT sounded way more human than this person I texted with. The psychological tricks they are taught to use on you are so transparent; it's all a stupid game. I got a link to some hilarious "coping skills" resources on the Kids Help Phone website. Like you think I haven't tried breathwork and compartmentalization and thankfulness etc? So patronizing, it kills me. (Or I wish it did.)

 

[lostintheloop]

I love the Samaritans in the UK as they listen and they are kinder than any therapist I have had. They help me cope with my suicidal thoughts and help me bear the suffering so I'm not totally alone. I also call them when I have nobody else to talk to. They are confidential. They would even be on the call with someone while they ctb.

Yeah, whilst some phrases they do repeat, I find generally it's not scripted and much more personal than other helplines. I really appreciate that they're completely confidential. Like you say they even stay on phone during ctb and can only contact emergency services if you give them your address then become incoherent/unconscious (or if you give them your details and ask them to contact EMS). As other helplines would request welfare checks in that situation and get police to trace call.They also don't seem to have a time limit, I find some of the volunteers rush you whereas others have stayed with me for a couple hours.

 

[JGT1]

"But then I thought they'd just dish out canned responses filled with empty platitudes it would just end up making things worse for me."

This is what happened to me

 

[moya117]

Yes, they told me to call another hotline but when I call that number, it was unavailable:')

 

[yaldabaoth]

I only called once. They just provided me resources that ended up not helping me or even answering at all. Waste of time for me tbh. (Emergency services weren't called because I didn't explicitly say i was suicidal)

 

[kogareta]

There isn't a crisis helpline in the country I live. It's a sad fact to realize since most of the suicides are momentary and can be prevented by just a single word. Moreover, despite edgy stuff being banned (pornography, gore, political) by the government itself, this site and other suicide websites are mostly not banned: I can access it without VPN or Tor. I think they're basically saying "We don't even care about you."