I've used the suicide hotlines a few times with mixed results. Sometimes they are gracious and kind and just having a "live" person to talk to can help..a little..just to get throught the moment or until I can get to help..sometimes they just frustrate...the samaritans took over a day to respond and by then I was already in trouble. But they let you know that when you write to them....
Recently there was an article here on PC as to a list of 'online' only suicide resources. This might also be good for people/teenagers/etc. afraid of having someone 'see' the 800 numbers or whatever appear on phone bills. The links are:
it came from:
They have also recently opened up an online/video/mic talk to a therapist live service at Supportgroups.com. I had to use it recently for severe depression and crisis counseling at midnight...she was a PhD and incredibly helpful and knowledgeable and was able to get right to the heart of the problem and provide counseling and relief within probably 10 minutes and she was a professional and not just a trained volunteer. You have to PAY for the service though.. You can determine the amount of time and by price of therapist, sort of... You can use PayPal or whatever. But for me, it was worth it. My regular therapist was out of town....and I knew I was in big trouble...
I don't know if it is innappropriate to talk about other sites or whatever, but I just thought I'd put these out here as possible alternatives that have kind of worked for me...I will not call my pdoc in the middle of the night and often am just not thinking clearly enough to know what to do...and am scared...whatever. Maybe they will work for you too...
Respectfully,
Wysteria Blue