Your experiences with hotlines?

I was having a very difficult time last night, so I went to an online crisis helpline. I told them I self-injure, and they said they could not help me and to contact my therapist. I had already contacted my therapist, and was waiting for her reply; I thought after they knew that someone in my life knew what was going on they would talk to me. Instead, they still said they could not help me and wanted me to contact another therapist. I have no other therapist and there are no back-ups. I was so upset that I spent so much time finding this hotline and feeling like the door was slammed in my face that I just wanted to leave the chat and be by myself. So I pretended that there was someone else I could call and left the chat.

What I want to understand is why this happened. This was a crisis line that helps with things like s**c*de, s*xual assault, etc., so I'm not sure why they were not able to speak with me. I was not actively SI'ing when I was talking to them, nor was I threatening to do it. I was just giving background information that I was a self-injurer.

Has anyone else gone to a crisis chat or called a hotline and had this experience? Can someone shed some light on why this may have happened?

Oh man! I'm sorry that happened to you.

I've had friends who've volunteered for crisis lines, I've never heard that they're not equipped to deal with a person with an SI history. Maybe it was just that individual person, and not the organization as a whole? (If it's just the person, they should have been professional and asked someone else to speak to you instead). I know SI is a taboo topic and is still misunderstood, but that's really sad that that happened to you.

Maybe call back another day and ask to speak to someone in charge and explain your situation and ask what their procedures/policies are for dealing with people with an SI history?

I think it all depends on the hotline. I live in Scotland and I've found every number I've called to be helpful. They understood that it was something I needed to do to cope and tried to help me find other options out there to help me with my difficult emotions. Please don't give up. Try another number.

Thank you. I actually just emailed them so I am hoping that they will get back to me and tell me what happened. I just wish I had saved the actual chat. I was too upset last night to think of doing that. I will update again here once I hear from them.