[Ad Intra]

What happened during the call? Doing this a part of my safety plan and I'm wondering what it's like.

[CANDC]

Each crisis line could be different. Mainly people try to talk to you and get you back to a grounded place where you can cope with life again and are not contemplating self injury.

You also might consider as part of your safety plan to PM a Community Liason that is online (the green person lower left corner under the name and mood - pink is offline) PC wants to help you before you get in a crisis, although I respect your interest in having phone numbers of crisis centers for emergencies.

Please also consult you pdoc and therapist if you find self injuring thoughts to be filling your head or being a threat to you. Some medications may have to be changed with that condition, so let your pdoc or therapist know.

[Goldcrest]

The problem with calling a crisis line, official ones anyway, is you can end up in hospital. Not necessarily the wrong thing to happen, but need to be aware of it. I usually want to avoid that, so I tend to call charity helplines like the Samaritans (in UK).

Best to be aware of crisis approaching and get advice from psychiatrist. However crises do sometimes occur suddenly...

[gloamingone]

I was prepared to call a crisis line the other day, but my paramedic boyfriend told me they were obligated to call 911. Now, normally I would call anyway, but I had my 9-year-old son and no one else to watch him. So that gave me the oomph to get through it.

My depressive episodes are bad enough that I frequently have suicidal ideation. I wish there was a place to call for that. Just because the thought is there doesn't mean I'll actually act on it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Creative1onder]

If you have strong suicidal impulsive feelings then its serious, as you could act on them without planning and you should talk to someone/contact a service.

[baseline]

I was desperate so I called one but the voice on the other end did not sound soothing in fact scared me. Said sorry wrong number and hung up, then realized it was time to be honest with T. He put me in touch with my doc, started antidepressant, and ramped up therapy!!! It helped a lot!

[CANDC]

Originally Posted by Ad Intra

What happened during the call? Doing this a part of my safety plan and I'm wondering what it's like.

I used to work for one and there was no reporting - everything was confidential.

I found an article that talks about how someone tried the suicide prevention line ahead of time saying he was depressed.

This is not an official comment from any one crisis line. You could also check out their websites or see the list at the end of the article below

If you use Siri you will get the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1–800–273–8255). This number routs you to a local call center. Since I live in the Salt Lake Valley in Utah, I was directed to a local call center at the University of Utah. The people at the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) were friendly, supportive, and eager to help. They don’t believe in a stigma surrounding suicidal ideation and want to make themselves available for anybody who is struggling. Funding has made overnight stays available for people in crisis, with counselors on site to help out. There is even a mobile unit that can travel to you. Funding is also available for longer stays for those who qualify (depending on the severity of your situation).

The SPRC doesn’t record conversations, but they do involve the police to trace calls from time to time when the caller is in danger of self-harm. This is not a common occurrence, however. Their policy is to first attempt to get permission from the caller before sending help. As for demographic questionnaires, I was not asked to provide demographic information. From what I have read online, centers like the SPRC need to know who in their community they are serving to help procure funding. If you feel uncomfortable answering personal questions, tell the phone counselor exactly that. It’s your phone call.

Lastly, I wanted to see what type of support I would receive if I was depressed. A friendly voice told me their name and asked me how I was doing. I wasn’t pressed for any private, identifying details. The phone counselor simply let me talk. I told her I wasn’t suicidal, but I was depressed and was curious what type of support they offered. I have never needed a hotline because of my excellent support network, so I wasn't sure what to say. However, taking the step to reach out to somebody has always improved my mood, so I told the phone counselor that I felt better and hung up. The SPRC didn’t call back. There was no rescue unit outside my door. I simply had a very nice conversation with a supportive phone counselor who was there to help me if I needed it. If I had been suicidal as I have experienced from time to time in the past, I can imagine that having a sincere person to talk to at four in the morning would be a very valuable asset. My support network isn't nocturnal as I am.

Here are some tips to use a suicide prevention hotline as a viable resource next time you struggle with suicidal ideation and urges.
Call the suicide prevention hotline before you need it. Not all suicide prevention hotlines are created equal. Do your research....
Ask them about their policies on recording conversations & tracing calls....
Not everybody has a virtual assistant in their pocket willing to dial the suicide prevention hotline for them, so use an old school trick. Write the hotline numbers down on a piece of paper, and store them in your wallet or purse.
If you feel your phone counselor is too bound by a script, use silence to get them off the script, or tell them their script is making you apprehensive. I realize how vulnerable you might feel in a situation where you are at the edge of suicidal ideation, but you aren’t under any obligation to answer any question that makes you feel uncomfortable. Try to remember that. You can always ask to speak to another phone counselor, or just hang up and call again later.
The phone counselors are people, too. Many of them are volunteering their time to be supportive to those in need. They aren’t professionals so cut them some slack. They may be just as nervous as you are.
Don’t carry this burden alone if making a simple phone call can put you in contact with people that care.

The above was an excerpt from A Splintered Mind: What To Expect When You Call a Suicide Prevention Hotline - Douglas Cootey

[ombrétwilight]

I've called the Samaritans plenty of times. They ask how you are today and what made you call them, then try to talk you out of whatever you're going through. They would also ask if you have a specific plan and ask you to keep yourself safe (by going to a friend's place etc. and promising to call again when you're feeling sui). And you'll probably hear plenty of "I'm really worried for you, Ad Intra". Personally, I've gotten better operators and some who sounded less interested, but overall what they said didn't matter as much as hearing another voice on my loneliest nights.