Story I called a few hotlines last night.

[Anxieyote]

First one I called was the national hotline. I got through very quickly to their credit, but what happened next was awful.

I'm clearly sobbing and in full on ideation mode, and I say, "I don't know if anyone can help me." in between tears.

The guy on the other line replies, "Ok well if we can't help, call us back another time ok?" and hangs up on me.

So I put myself on a waitlist for their crisis text line. Takes about 5 minutes for someone to connect with me, and this guy was actually somewhat decent at what he was doing. I could tell he was actually trying to get to know me and my situation better through the conversation, and he handled everything very delicately and professionally. He advised me to leave the room where the SN was in and focus on things that I enjoy. It was nice.

But we all know one small text conversation can't fix our inner turmoil. So I reach out to another crisis line I stumbled upon on some random website (I think this one was for war veterans with PTSD or something? Idk but they said anyone can use it).

I was connected to someone very quickly, but their replies were very robotic and canned. I did not get the sense that they cared at all about me whatsoever, and they took 6-7 minutes between replies, which is way too long for someone who's in crisis—especially when the replies were so short and generic.

"I am sorry you are feeling this way." and "I understand that you seem to be in a lot of pain today."

It was a saddening experience. That one text convo with that guy was ok, but it's just not enough. No conversation is enough to fix a broken person and a broken life.

 

[PeacefulTonic]

Yeah these hotlines are useless. It's all for show mainly. It's just a front to cover their bases. To make it seem as if they provide a service which helps, but in reality, does little to nothing

 

[Dot]

If call and person not of help, call again - will likely get through someone else hopefully better.

Used to volunteer on line and had good days and bad days of how much could help callers. Have called lines for self and had some people more sympathetic than others. All are human. Just call back and likely be routed to someone different. Understand such calls be off-putting though.

 

[motel rooms]

You're lucky they didn't make you feel more suicidal...

 

[FuneralCry]

I would never call a hotline personally. Talking to a stranger would not make me feel better. In my case, everything is hopeless. As you said, it does not take away what is making you suicidal in the first place. I have read about many people having bad experiences with these hotlines.

 

[meetapple]

Once I called in to a hotline and mentioned that I had a therapist with whom I was working on a specific issue (I forgot which). She just told me that this crisis was better left to my therapist and let me go.

 

[Anxieyote]

Once I called in to a hotline and mentioned that I had a therapist with whom I was working on a specific issue (I forgot which). She just told me that this crisis was better left to my therapist and let me go.

Getting dismissed is the worst feeling. These hotline workers must be extremely burnt out with their jobs. The phone conversations I've had have never been pleasant. My local crisis hotline handled the situation well though.