Not an emergency, you just feel lousy...

That's a tough one, isn't it? I've been there, that's for sure. It's sort of hard to call a helpline--or even talk to a friend about how you're feeling--when you're just regular crappy and not having an emergency.

That said, I do think you can call a helpline just to talk. You don't always have to be in dire straits.

I have never called one personally, though. I usually call/contact someone (anyone--friend, family, internet buddy) and talk about something else. Try to be distracted by a mutual interest, or by just inviting the other person to talk about themselves and their day. Yeah, it is, in a way, just a distraction. It doesn't really remedy what feels wrong deep inside you or anything like that. It's a bandaid at worst and a 'top-down' fix at best. But, hey, if you can feel connected to other people again and stave off the lonliness for a bit, why not give it a shot?

You can always talk on the forums, or PM someone. I, personally, am always down to talk about the last good book I read