Unsure if i should call a hotline

Has anyone called a crisis hotline if they wanted to cut.? I've only called a hotline once a few years ago, and it didnt end well(ended with cops and an ambulance coming to my house to take me to the hospital).. I guess i don't know what to consider a "crisis" it also doesnt help that i recently turned 18(a few months ago) and am trying to figure out the mental health services that are available to adults..

Hi and welcome to PC

I have called crisis lines a couple of times and found it really depends who picks up the other end some are helpful some feel like they are just going through the checklist the last guy told me to take my meds early and go to bed?? Not very helpful I asked what if I harm while waiting for meds to kick in his answer: well drive to the hospital, even though I explained the closest hospital is 67km away just over an hrs worth of driving, as we say in Australia "I think he was 5 cans short of a six pack"

I hope you success with finding help when you need it, good luck

Tee

I guess (to me) it depends on how/where you are going to cut and your INTENT.

If your intent is to do permanent damage or to possibly kill yourself (or even put yourself in a position where it could kill yourself) - then I think you are obligated to call a crisis center.

If you are just doing some minor self harm (IE glorified scratches - which is what I typically do) - then I do not see a need to call a crisis center (but talking to a therapist would be my recommendation).

Best wishes to you.

I've called them before for that. TeePee is correct, It does totally depends on who picks up. A few of the crisis centers that answer the national hotline are trained in talking about alternatives to self harm, and keeping safe (the boystown hotline is one. Baton rouge crisis center is another), but others are totally stumped. One guy that answered the national hotline tried to tell me that they only talked tp people in suicidal crisis, and that I needed to stop being so attention - seeking. Before I hung up, I read the blurb on their website about calling for any emotional crisis to him. I didn't wait for a response, just told him I wasn't looking for attention, I was looking for help, and that he needed to rethink his job and ended the call.
In contrast, both the boystown hotline people and the baton rouge people talked to me about it, listened to the reasons behind it, and didn't let me hang up right away even when I panicked about it. No one from the national hotline has ever called the cops on me, but that happened with a local hotline before.