Do suicide hotlines just give you crappy advice?

[nfrae]

I've been wanting to call, but it just seems like emotional prostitution to me (more so than therapy). I hear that people are often forced to wait up to hour to even talk to someone anyway. They'll just tell me what I want to hear long enough to calm me down. Also, calling in itself frightens the hell out of me. It was always a comforting last resort but now I'm not so sure...

 

[only me]

I've never called, but it seems to me if all they do is stall you long enough to calm you down,
then that's a GOOD thing.
I mean you did specify SUICIDE hot line, not "I'm a little bummed-out hotline"
Sometimes just making it to tomorrow is what is needed.

I've been helped by the audio recordings of Pema Chodron.
She talks about "learning to stay" (staying with the problem instead of running away from it)
Good practical advise, and she's got a great sense of humor.

Best of luck to you

 

[nfrae]

I've never called, but it seems to me if all they do is stall you long enough to calm you down,
then that's a GOOD thing.
I mean you did specify SUICIDE hot line, not "I'm a little bummed-out hotline"
Sometimes just making it to tomorrow is what is needed.

I've been helped by the audio recordings of Pema Chodron.
She talks about "learning to stay" (staying with the problem instead of running away from it)
Good practical advise, and she's got a great sense of humor.

Best of luck to you

That's a good point but still...I can't help thinking that if calling doesn't actually do anything why bother waiting.

 

[Poueff]

I've never called, but it seems to me if all they do is stall you long enough to calm you down,
then that's a GOOD thing.
I mean you did specify SUICIDE hot line, not "I'm a little bummed-out hotline"
Sometimes just making it to tomorrow is what is needed.

I've been helped by the audio recordings of Pema Chodron.
She talks about "learning to stay" (staying with the problem instead of running away from it)
Good practical advise, and she's got a great sense of humor.

Best of luck to you

That's a good point but still...I can't help thinking that if calling doesn't actually do anything why bother waiting.

What and what if you don't bother waiting,would you gain anything from that? No! You and everyone only loses when the subject is suicide

 

[Sci-Fi]

I've never called them myself but I doubt their advice is crappy, they should be somewhat trained before taking actual calls, I hope. There is bad advice out there, but for the most part it's what you want to hear. Someone could give you good advice but if it's not what you want to hear then you're going to think it's bad advice. I have a friend who always asked my advice and NEVER took it, then would turn around and tell me later that she should have listened to me. Problem was she'd listen to other people who said what she wanted to hear at the time and take their advice, which was what she wanted to hear.

It's gotta be hard to be the person who's supposed to talk you out of suicide, I can't imagine doing that job. I'd always worry about the person I just talked to. It's also impossible to be able to know what that person on the other end wants to hear.

 

[The-One]

I've been wanting to call, but it just seems like emotional prostitution to me (more so than therapy). I hear that people are often forced to wait up to hour to even talk to someone anyway. They'll just tell me what I want to hear long enough to calm me down. Also, calling in itself frightens the hell out of me. It was always a comforting last resort but now I'm not so sure...

I personally take a dim view of people wanting to commit sucide but then decides to ring a hotline.

I mean, it's obvious that you're pussying out of it and aren't really going to top yourself. Otherwise you would have shot yourself/jumped off a bridge/drank bleach/ got hit by a train already.

Suicide hotlines are not necessary. If you want to kill yourself, go right ahead. If not, then you know you're not because you know what they're going to say, and it's not "have a nice trip"; so why bother?

 

[EveWasFramed]

I've been wanting to call, but it just seems like emotional prostitution to me (more so than therapy). I hear that people are often forced to wait up to hour to even talk to someone anyway. They'll just tell me what I want to hear long enough to calm me down. Also, calling in itself frightens the hell out of me. It was always a comforting last resort but now I'm not so sure...

I personally take a dim view of people wanting to commit sucide but then decides to ring a hotline.

I mean, it's obvious that you're pussying out of it and aren't really going to top yourself. Otherwise you would have shot yourself/jumped off a bridge/drank bleach/ got hit by a train already.

Suicide hotlines are not necessary. If you want to kill yourself, go right ahead. If not, then you know you're not because you know what they're going to say, and it's not "have a nice trip"; so why bother?

This post is dangerously close to to being considered encouraging suicide. Please refrain from posting anything similar in the future. Thanks.

 

[SullenGirl]

I have had only bad experiences with these suicide hotlines. One time I called the hotline and poured my heart out to this ******* stranger about what was going on in my life at the time...he had nothing to say! He was just silent, and I had to keep talking to him to get something out of him...a response. I really don't remember him helping me at all.

 

[I'm Fine]

If you don't feel that a hotline could help you, is there someone you could talk to that would? Or there are depression/suicide forums that exist where you can post what's going on and have people that have been through it reply. I think having people that CHOOSE to reply talk to you can be more reassuring than someone that's paid to. Does that make any sense?

I would suggest posting here but I'm not sure if that's allowed. Does anyone know?

 

[Jilted John]

nfrae
Following my marriage break up, and a few times after when I was in a dark place,I did contact a help line, here they call it "The Samaritans".I was not on the verge of suicide,but the possibility had entered my head.I had two young kids to look after, so it wasn't an easy decision to make.
In fact there was no decision to make,I knew that, deep down,but these very patient and understanding people although not allowed to give direct advice, got me to see that.I used to ring them all hours of the night (usually drunk) and after a while things started to get better.I actually rang them when I moved into my new flat to tell them how happy I was,I think I made the poor guy's night!
So don't be afraid to ask for help,If you get no joy there,try "The Samaritans" here.Depression knows no borders!

Best of Luck.
John.

 

[Kathy]

I called the Suicide Hotline after my daughter's friend attempted suicide in her apartment and got them both handcuffed and taken to the hospital. I called to find out how to help my daughter get over the drama/trauma and anger at her friend.

I found the gal I talked to, to be very helpful. I don't know if my daughter ever called the hotline herself.

I think she's mostly over the drama of her friend attempting suicide in her apartment because when she bought some straight edge razors for an art project we joked that she needs to hide them from her friend the next time she comes to her apartment.