Have any of you worked in a crisis center?

[CatLove56]

I feel like we would be perfect for this because we actually care and know what these people are going through. I'm so sick of getting referred to the hotline and then getting someone who CLEARLY has never been suicidal and just get over it attitude.

 

[RM5998]

I feel like we would be perfect for this because we actually care and know what these people are going through. I'm so sick of getting referred to the hotline and then getting someone who CLEARLY has never been suicidal and just get over it attitude.

The thing is, a crisis center is supposed to be pro-life by definition. Most of the people here are not subscribing to that ideology. People in a crisis center aren't really allowed to tell a suicidal person that they have the right to to choose whether to kill themselves and that whatever they choose is right.

 

[Morning Angel]

I have worked and volunteered at two different places. I was told I was quite good at de-escalating callers but I look back now at some of the shit I said and I'm embarrassed. Some of the training and scripts are such crap.

 

[lv-gras]

I have worked and volunteered at one. I was told I was quite good at de-escalating callers but I look back now at some of the shit I said and I'm embarrassed.

actually would probably find talking with you nice, from what have seen here

 

[lv-gras]

no, had a gf who did though, not a great relationship, but idk if this is starting to get off topic

 

[samhelloall9]

No Greg. No I have not.

 

[kxk]

I look back now at some of the shit I said and I'm embarrassed. Some of the training and scripts are such crap.

I volunteered at one a few years ago and I too am embarrassed by things I said. Some of the things we were made to say are things I would never want to hear either.

 

[Morning Angel]

I volunteered at one a few years ago and I too am embarrassed by things I said. Some of the things we were made to say are things I would never want to hear either.

Horrible isn't it? They had us trained to deceive callers who were rated as high risk, keeping them on the phone as the supervisor had cops sent to their door. I didn't know what destruction and isolation I was causing until it happened to me.

 

[kxk]

Horrible isn't it? They had us trained to deceive callers who were rated as high risk, keeping them on the phone as the supervisor had cops sent to their door. I didn't know what destruction and isolation I was causing until it happened to me.

It is horrible. These places are deceiving and think they are actually helping.

Although, the one place I called and spoke to told me that I could talk to them about my plans and dates and there was nothing they would do, as ultimately it was my life and my choice to end it.

 

[Morning Angel]

It is horrible. These places are deceiving and think they are actually helping.

Although, the one place I called and spoke to told me that I could talk to them about my plans and dates and there was nothing they would do, as ultimately it was my life and my choice to end it.

Was it the Samaritans line? Seems the only US crisis line worth anything.

 

[Sayo]

I thought about it, but a) they scan broadly for people who are at-risk of being triggered themselves, so with my recent history I likely wouldn't be accepted b) I realised that I wouldn't be able to act substantially differently and be retained, so essentially I'd be being trained to hurt and lie to people knowingly. I do think suicide hotlines are fine at acting as a sort of temporary stopgap for a certain type of redirectable case, but they're deceptively advertised and do a lot of harm to the recurrently suicidal.

One of my goals was to be a particular type of clinical worker that doesn't exactly deal with mental health or social work (vagueness) but can end up as part of the pipeline to both, and I suffered a real emotional crisis over the same realisation - that while I would be delivering useful advice to people, I would be expected to pass the buck on their emotions to people who might not be able to help them, or else deflect.

Not gonna lie, volunteering at these places is actually really good resume experience for a lot of the latter kind of jobs (or their degree programs). It was explicitly listed for mine. Gives you a gloomy outlook on what these people end up doing.

It's not just a matter of expectation either, you would be considered to be putting the person at risk.

 

[kxk]

Was it the Samaritans line? Seems the only US crisis line worth anything.

the U.K. crisis line. I wouldn't consider calling them again or any other one though.

 

[Morning Angel]

the U.K. crisis line. I wouldn't consider calling them again or any other one though.

Yeah. I get that. I stopped calling that place 6 mo ago when I realized it was the same convo over and over again. I guess that's why they call it short term...