What does your suicide hot line do?

It's been a really bad last couple weeks. I've called a few.There's one that just talks - actually, I like them a lot - they don't try to help, they just kind of talk about stuff.

The other local place has lots of mental health referrals. Nothing useful, unfortunately.

Just curious.

Hello, Badmouse. Thank you for posting your experience. Not all crisis hotlines are created equal and sorting out the more useful from the less useful is valuable.

I would be interested in a kind of hotline review by the members here....

Where I live - they are very good. I was terrified that the cops would "come and get me" if I called.

They do not.

I think if I told them that I had a gun to my head - they might send the cops. But if you simply need to TALK to a human being and have someone listen and offer some simple advice - then I think they are awesome.

I don't remember which one I used, but I once called one up in a moment of desperation only to be belittled and insulted, have my problems trivialized, and then the guy hung up on me. The whole thing lasted only two or three minutes, and it scarred me for life. No matter how horrible I feel now I don't even bother reaching out to friends, family, anyone, because I am so afraid of being treated like that again.

In the UK we have a main generic one that is heavily advertised and promoted as the first point of call:

The Samaritans

I personally don't find them that helpful as they listen and use reflective questioning techniques rather than give advise (not in their remit) and are unable to do a thing if someone is in desperate emergency need... but I know others have found them to be a life safer.

I can't recall the actual psychological questioning technique they use (the term has escaped my brain)... but as per wiki, their style is as follows:

"Samaritans stresses that the service it provides is not counselling, and it will not give advice. Although Samaritans volunteers are trained in many of the same techniques as professional counsellors, they neither judge nor tell people what to do. By listening and asking questions, the Samaritans volunteers help people explore their feelings and work out their own way forward."

Locally, we have one called focussline which are equipped to actually refer you if they think it's warranted... but are manned by trained mh practitioners, so they can give practical advise as well as be a listening ear.

Only downside to that is they can be hard to get through to on the phone... so there have been nights (I've spoken to them twice) where all I got was an engaged tone

Is it possible that you could tell us the one that you said that you like a lot? I had called a few of those lines myself. The impression that I get is that they are college aged who man those lines. That maybe very good for the younger ones, but being in my 50s, it wouldn't be useful for me.

There was a time when I called the suicide hot line, and they put me on hold. For the short time I waited, well, I went into a panic, disconnected, then shut off my cell phone, and took the battery out. Then I hid my phone in the trunk and went into a store for about a half hour. I thought for sure they could trace me, and take me away.

Our hotline is useless. Every time I called they wanted to send a case worker to my house. The very first time I called they did call the police & they showed up asking all kinds of stupid questions.
I don't want a case worker @ my house bec I have small children & don't want them taken away. The one time they did come they asked me to go inpatient right away so I had to lie to save myself from a 302.
Not worth the call at all. I get more help from the women's crisis line.

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