[InfiniteSadness]

Whats the difference between a 'help' line and a crisis line? and what should i expect if i call a 'help' line? is it all just talking?

[gracez]

I don't know what the difference would be technically - and maybe there's supposed to be - but I've called both and had the same sort of experience - talking

[rise__above]

I called a crisis line (that specifically said you didn't have to be suicidal to talk) and it was kind of awkward. The person I spoke with took forever to respond when I would say things, and offered very little help. I'm not sure if all operators are so stoic, but it keeps me from ever calling again.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by InfiniteSadness

Whats the difference between a 'help' line and a crisis line? and what should i expect if i call a 'help' line? is it all just talking?

a helpline and a crisis line are the same thing. its just that some locations call it help line and others call it a crisis line....

what to expect...well here in NY a crisisline/helpline is where there are trained volunteers that answer the phone. most are not actual therapists but some do have mental health background...

example here we have a psychiatrist or therapist on call and its the volunteers that answer the calls. they talk with you about what ever you want to talk with them about. I have called for many reasons..couldnt sleep, needed help figuring out a problem, suicidal all kinds of reasons..

here if a caller is making threats of harm to their self or others we have to call the police and the on call psychiatrist. if the person is a danger to their self or others we trace the call and the police go out on a well check call where they go to the persons home and assess whether the call is a prank or whether the person is in danger/crisis mode. they transport the person to the hospital where they are assessed again and placed on a "hold" in the ER. if the person is not a danger to their self or others they are released to go home. if they are a danger to their self or others they are held for 72 hours for a more in depth evaluation.

most callers I have dealt with have been mostly people who just needed someone to talk to, help them get through the night.

[InfiniteSadness]

I guess i'm overly nervous about calling, perhaps about saying something that could be misinterpreted.

[shezbut]

I've called a couple of times, and have had positive experiences. They were kind and supportive ~ it helped me get through the night. I'd recommend giving it a try.

[rise__above]

Originally Posted by InfiniteSadness

I guess i'm overly nervous about calling, perhaps about saying something that could be misinterpreted.

I agree. Now that I know my call could mean that the police are sent to my house...that scares me.

[MoxieDoxie]

My T volunteered on a suicide hotline while in college. He said he would get a lot of breathers on the other end. Mostly people just wanted to talk and be heard. They were trained not to give advice.....just listen and reassure if they could.

[splitimage]

I volunteered for 3 years on a telephone support line. None of the volunteers were professionals, but we all got extensive training. Most callers weren't in crisis - they were just lonely or upset about something and needed to talk. For some regular callers we were part of their everyday support system.

We'd talk about whatever the caller wanted to talk about, could be sports, could be brainstorming to solve a problem, could be providing information on where to get addiction or mental health treatment for themselves or a family member.

We never called the police on anyone. If someone said they were suicidal, we'd do a risk assessment, and if we thought it was serious, transfer the call to telehealth Ontario, where trained nurses could do a more thorough assessment.

splitimage

The thing which I don't quite understand is that if you're genuinely in crisis, wouldn't you want authorities to be called? We could get into a debate about the intentions behind suicide but if ringing a crisis team is considered a cry for help - wouldn't the authorities be a means of accessing that help? I'm aware of the variables, useless hospitals, punitive treatment etc but the whole thing sounds like a contradiction in terms to me. Anyway, I hope that whoever you call, they're able to provide you with what you need at that moment - if you're not really sure why you're calling, say so. They should be able to talk it through with you and as long as you try and be clear about what it is you are feeling i don't see why it would necessarily have to end with more serious measures being taken.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Spockette

The thing which I don't quite understand is that if you're genuinely in crisis, wouldn't you want authorities to be called? We could get into a debate about the intentions behind suicide but if ringing a crisis team is considered a cry for help - wouldn't the authorities be a means of accessing that help? I'm aware of the variables, useless hospitals, punitive treatment etc but the whole thing sounds like a contradiction in terms to me. Anyway, I hope that whoever you call, they're able to provide you with what you need at that moment - if you're not really sure why you're calling, say so. They should be able to talk it through with you and as long as you try and be clear about what it is you are feeling i don't see why it would necessarily have to end with more serious measures being taken.

each state in america has their own cut off line where crisis volunteers have to call the police and serious measures taken..here in NY we have zero tolerance laws about violence to self and others since 9/11 (for those that may not know thats when suicide bombers took planes /people hostage and crashed into the world trade center and the pentagon.

since then New York has installed what we call zero tolerance to any form of violence to our selves or others.

in relation to the crisis center where I work this means we .....have....to call in the police under these NY state laws. We would rather get the police involved and get them help than to find out the person at the end of the phone took hostages /shot up a school / or what ever else they may plan in their suicidal or psychotic state of mind.

to answer your first question ...no genuinely in crisis doesnt always mean you want the authorities called. example the other night I was taking calls and there was a guy who had lost his wife. he was extremely depressed and suicidal and in major crisis. but in his state of mind he didnt want anyone to help him. he just wanted to make sure his sons would be taken care of after he died. I kept him on the phone placing him back and forth on hold with some creative excuses and while he was on hold I contacted the police. I could hear in the background as the police got to his home. I heard a shot and thought the worst. then a police officer was on the phone telling me they got there. he had every intention of succeeding, it was one of the police that took the shot when the guy tried to make his move.

he reached out in crisis not to get help for himself but to make sure someone found him before his boys came home the next day.

though this is an extreme case, not everyone in crisis wants the authorities called. most do not. most do not want to be hospitalized or arrested for being a danger to their self and others. they just want the hurting to stop.

[Perna]

Most help/crisis lines are part of a larger organization. Find out what that is and look at the web page for the organization and see what that says and if you agree with it, etc.

If you are nervous about something being too "close"/scary then call a line that is not local to you.

I have called before and been through the training for a local help line to become a volunteer; I did not in the end volunteer though because the training was triggering to me and I did not want to deal with that level of stress/remembering while trying to help someone else clear their own thinking and make their own decisions of what they should do next. I was referred for therapy by one and that was good. . .

Think about what you want from calling, what you expect?

[TheRealFDeal]

I have called a few times, hurting badly and just wanting the pain to stop. They were useless each time, so I stopped calling. I did not want to talk, though. I guess I just hoped to hear something I hadn't heard before, some completely new perspective that would change mine, but no such thing.