Help suicide hotline?

[hybridtheory]

hello.
for those who have called a hotline before, what do they say or ask?
I've always wondered how it worked or what happens but I have never been brave enough to call...

 

[snowman626]

You tell them your problems and they just pretend they understand but obviously really dont, like this...

You: i feel like nothing i do is good enough
Them: it must be tough, feeling like that
You: i have nothing to live for
Them: so you are depressed?
You: im so sick of this life
Them: it must be painful feeling like that..
You: what can i do to be happy again?
Them: id just do what you enjoy doing
You: but i dont find enjoyment out of anything anymore
Them: so it sounds like you are depressed, it must be difficult to live like that

Then after awhile they'll give you a number for a local counselor type place near you and ask you to call them.

If you tell them you are suicidal they will threaten to call the police. Or they'll ask you to promise you wont kill yourself, or that the next time you feel suicidal to call the hotline again

 

[hybridtheory]

You tell them your problems and they just pretend they understand but obviously really dont, like this...

You: i feel like nothing i do is good enough
Them: it must be tough, feeling like that
You: i have nothing to live for
Them: so you are depressed?
You: im so sick of this life
Them: it must be painful feeling like that..
You: what can i do to be happy again?
Them: id just do what you enjoy doing
You: but i dont find enjoyment out of anything anymore
Them: so it sounds like you are depressed, it must be difficult to live like that

Then after awhile they'll give you a number for a local counselor type place near you and ask you to call them.

If you tell them you are suicidal they will threaten to call the police. Or they'll ask you to promise you wont kill yourself, or that the next time you feel suicidal to call the hotline again

oh wow, that seems awful. I figured they would have no idea how to actually help, except for offering help from someone completely
different... they're like " well sorry you're depressed, I can't help you, may I offer the cops to show up instead? " because that will obviously help.... not

 

[glaurious]

They obviously have no idea what to actually say to a suicidal person, but they think they do. From my experience talking to them, it seems most of the things they say are scripted.
Mostly they tell you it must be difficult to feel how you feel and they ask you what makes you happy and tell you to do that instead of killing yourself. Everything they say is pretty generic, and I'm sure that most suicidal people have already dug deep inside their brains to try to find answers to the questions the hotline will give you.
If you tell the hotline that you are suicidal, and that you have a plan and will act on it soon, they will call the police.

 

[TAW122]

@snowman626 Yeah that is pretty much what the suicide hotline is, just a load of unhelpful shit, the lot they are... I never called on myself, but I've read articles, stories, and even saw an YT video(s) in regards to people who called the hotline and it's pretty much useless.

Also, yes, if they have any reasonable suspicion or cause to believe that you are a danger to yourself or others, they will trace your call/IP or whatever they can and involve the police/authorities. It just makes things worse as then the emergency services force themselves in and take the caller into custody (with force if the caller doesn't comply or refuses to go with them). It's quite barbaric and disgusting how they treat callers who have suicidal ideation.

 

[azucaramargo]

hello.
for those who have called a hotline before, what do they say or ask?
I've always wondered how it worked or what happens but I have never been brave enough to call...

I really like the Samaritans' help line. I've never called them, but they do this thing where you email them and they get back to you within 24 hours. And, it's a totally personal analysis of your issue(s), and any subsequent emails you send will be routed to the same person, so you don't have to explain yourself again.

I thought they were great. You could Google Samaritans email helpline, or PM me, and i'll find it for you.