Discussion experiences with help-lines?

[farewell_to_my_mask]

I personally havent had any experiences with the suicide helpline or any helpline is general, but i want to know if anyone here has?
if you have, was it actually helpful? did it make things worse/make you feel worse? just basically how was it
im just kinda curious since any time you mention ANYTHING along the lines of "i want to die and/or harm myself" people are always like "call the help line!!!" but I doubt that would help anyone? maybe in an impulsive moment but in the long run I dont think it would help at all.

 

[kopebaldy]

I don't think my experience is helpful but I called them exactly once using a throwaway sim card and phone.

To my surprise, someone actually picked up at 10pm, the lady had a soothing voice and she tried a lot to help me speak up in the nicest way possible, but I choked and couldn't say anything.

Threw the phone right after.

Sometimes I wonder if I things would turn out differently if I said literally anything.

 

[fremmiefish]

in my experience they havent been helpful whatsoever.
ive contacted my local helplines quite a few times and while theyre okay for short term relief and getting certain things off your chest theyre not good if you need anything long term. if you tell them you're actively planning to ctb or harm yourself theyre likely to call your local crisis line or the police.

they mostly just ask questions, tell you "wow that must be rough!" and if youre not at active risk they dont do much else. the only advice ive received from them regarding my ideation is to distract myself. do take my experience with a grain of salt though since i think it varies depending on where you live, and it could entirely just be an issue with the particular helpline i speak to.

 

[Doll Steak]

I texted one out of boredom once but nothing came from it. It was distracting though, Almost laughable in a stupid way because of all the dumbass questions they were asking. They kind of did their job, made me laugh at the conversation, lifted the mood...

A couple minutes later after I stopped speaking to the text line, a middle-aged sounding woman called my phone representing the hotline and I answered but didn't feel like talking so I immediately hung up. She then left a voicemail telling me she is just checking in to make sure I am okay but I never felt the need to call back.

Honestly I'd just call them, not because they'd actually help but because why not?

Although it would come with the risk of cops getting called on you but I don't know how likely that is or what the circumstances would have to be for that to ensue.

 

[Shiksa]

Personally my experiences have been negative. The hotline operators I ended up talking to seemed like robotic and not very engaged. Also if at any point they feel like the conversation isn't going their way they can call mental health or the police on you and depending where you are or the circumstances your freedom might be at risk. Maybe you'll end up talking to someone more equipped or who cares but anyone who calls should be careful.

 

[monetpompo]

i've called the helpline several, several times, mostly when i was still in high school because i was extremely lonely and had no friends. i mostly called so that i could hear someone's voice and hearing someone's voice at all felt good. but it's really not helpful. maybe a phone sex line would be more helpful.

like everyone else said, you pretty much gain nothing from calling it and it's kind of like dead air. it doesn't help anyone at all. it's mostly helped when i've had petty relationship drama and i wanted to cry about it and be told that i was the one in the right. for actual suicide or depression stuff, they don't really have anything to tell you.

 

[Linda]

I personally havent had any experiences with the suicide helpline or any helpline is general, but i want to know if anyone here has?
if you have, was it actually helpful? did it make things worse/make you feel worse? just basically how was it
im just kinda curious since any time you mention ANYTHING along the lines of "i want to die and/or harm myself" people are always like "call the help line!!!" but I doubt that would help anyone? maybe in an impulsive moment but in the long run I dont think it would help at all.

I have never called one myself, but my husband's mother used to work for one and my husband knew someone else who worked for one. I once considered volunteering for one, but was put off by their air of bureaucracy. They tend to have rather rigid rules that their staff are required to follow, which limits the kind of advice they can give you. Their aim is solely to stop you killing yourself; it is not really to help you deal with your problems or improve your life. Many of them will go to any lengths to stop you killing yourself, including calling the cops on you.

If you do call one, use a burner phone (or a VPN if you are contacting them live online from your computer), and do not give any personal details that might help them identify you.

To be fair to them, it is very hard talking on the phone to someone who is suicidal. (I know. I have done it with a SaSu member.) You don't have much time to think, because in a conversation you have to respond immediately, but you know that person's life is in your hands. It can put you under tremendous pressure. It's not like here, where you can take your time writing a post, and can think carefully before you post it. I think a lot of the failings of suicide helplines come from their own need to protect themselves.

 

[playalistic]

I personally havent had any experiences with the suicide helpline or any helpline is general, but i want to know if anyone here has?
if you have, was it actually helpful? did it make things worse/make you feel worse? just basically how was it
im just kinda curious since any time you mention ANYTHING along the lines of "i want to die and/or harm myself" people are always like "call the help line!!!" but I doubt that would help anyone? maybe in an impulsive moment but in the long run I dont think it would help at all.

im sure they have their uses and i have heard lots of things about them. a lot of people just use them not even out of suicidality but just to have someone to talk to

me personally i have heard tons of horror stories. like every single person who uses them and expresses intent to pursue a particular method gets the feds called on them and gets admitted to a physiatric facility and ends up worse off than they were before they called lmao

me personally, not even saying this to discredit anyone who would but i wouldnt be down bad enough to call 988, i already dont have the effort to pursue therapy or any bs like that as it is, i dont talk to anyone about my problems and if i do its vague enough to not have them think im going to kms