Story I texted a hotline, heres how it went

[gooblet]

Before i begin, this was a text based hotline so the experience is probably different to a call.

It started off with them asking my details, I gave them a fake name. I told them i want to stop my suicidal thoughts and self harm. Instead of talking to me they just directed me to an app on the app store.

Then they started talking about my hobbies and never went back on to the topic on mental health(i get they wanted to distract me from my thoughts but i wanted to talk about how i feel)

Also the responses felt very robotic and from them sending several messages split into different responses it sounded like they were just copying and pasting responses.

Then before i could finish talking they just closed the conversation.

So yeah i don't think ill be talking to a hotline again as it was no help

 

[easypeasy]

That is awful and not uncommon, sadly. I think it's great you've shared this. You've helped more people by doing so. I'm sorry you went through that! I am wishing for your recovery from that stupid excuse for help xoxo

 

[cemeteryismyhome]

Ironically, it seems sasu is more helpful to many people than most suicide hotlines

 

[Hollowman]

You're lucky the cops haven't knocked on your door yet.

 

[SilentSadness]

Before i begin, this was a text based hotline so the experience is probably different to a call.

It started off with them asking my details, I gave them a fake name. I told them i want to stop my suicidal thoughts and self harm. Instead of talking to me they just directed me to an app on the app store.

Then they started talking about my hobbies and never went back on to the topic on mental health(i get they wanted to distract me from my thoughts but i wanted to talk about how i feel)

Also the responses felt very robotic and from them sending several messages split into different responses it sounded like they were just copying and pasting responses.

Then before i could finish talking they just closed the conversation.

So yeah i don't think ill be talking to a hotline again as it was no help

These hotlines are unfortunately a complete waste of time and taxpayer money, sorry you had to deal with these horrible people. It's understandable to feel helpless in a society where suicidal people are treated so badly. I hope your situation improves sometime soon

 

[penguinl0v3s]

Also the responses felt very robotic and from them sending several messages split into different responses it sounded like they were just copying and pasting responses.

I can confirm it's what they do, I volunteered to try to make a positive influence, only to be disappointed that it's generic by design. Unfortunately many of these crisis lines are just done by volunteers, so the quality of them can vary immensely.

 

[Dejected 55]

Yeah, that's my experience to a T. Only thing I will add is, when you first sign in, before you are connected to a person/robot, you have to provide information about yourself... then they immediately ask you for all that information in the chat. I remember telling them I already typed all that and wasn't going to type it again.

 

[Haematemesis]

well, at least you tried
i think online spaces such as sasu is better anyway

 

[SufferingInDenmark]

whenever it's money motivated, it's never gonna be as good as for example SASU, where people are not here for money,
but because they understand and relate.

i'm far from surprised that you had a bad experience with a suicide hotline.