Ariesmars, I've only called a crisis line once, back in late 2009. It was not the US National crisis line, 1-800-273-TALK (8255); I called the on-call nurse at a semi-local hospital.

The nurse was polite, and she asked me a few questions about how I was feeling. Even though I didn't have a "plan," she thought it best I try to get into the hospital, which was over a half-hour away. On arrival (I was driven; I no longer drive), I discovered I had misunderstood the nurse's directions in my distress and panic. We would have had to drive another half hour to the proper facility in order to be admitted and then transported to the hospital we were already sitting outside of.

Fortunately, before leaving I had taken one of my old, powerful "take as needed" meds, and at that point I no longer cared about anything. We came back to the house.

Both the nurse who had taken my call and my psychiatrist -- who I hadn't informed -- called me the next day to check on me. I had no problem with the people I actually spoke to, but the hospital arrangements were...counterintuitive.

I hope someone who has called one of the national crisis lines will reply here.

((((((( Ariesmars! )))))))