I'm wondering if anyone here has ever used a helpline charity such as Childline, the Samaritans, and any others for emotional support of some kind? Did you find them useful?
I've never phoned any of them up, except Childline a while ago, but it didn't last long because I sort of lost my nerve and the dude told me to ring back once I'm ready and hung up. I've also emailed Samaritans (Jo@Samaritans.org) but I never found helpful at all. I found they killed off conversation quick, firstly by asking a ton of questions (some being irrelevent) and then by going "okay i hope you're fine now after speaking to us. You can always email us if you wish". I understand such a service is good for those who need a good rant, but I'm someone who seeks advice or at least discussion about options, which they don't provide, and because it's email and they don't write a lot - they come across as quite apathetic..
samaritans - no, they just encouraged me to tell someone else. if i wanted to tell my doctor i would! but looking back on it i can see why. found the same with emails as you.
childline - better, asked me questions tried to understand. but i'm not a big fan of just talking things through, i'm maybe more like you, wanting something practical.
never rung anyone else.
Samaritans was a bit weird. I had some guy telling me I shouldn't top myself because I sounded like I was pretty and there was a shortage of young women in this country, then it changed into "this country needs scientists". Which was all a bit random and not particularly helpful. I've found them useful by emails though.
Other helpline I used was Focusline, which is run by Rethink. That was not so great as they phoned the police on me and I got carted off to hospital against my wishes. I guess if things had been more serious they would have been justified, but I knew I didn't need hospital, hence why I didn't go to A+E of my own volition.
I've also emailed our wonderful Supporters here and I have to say it's probably been the most useful out of all 3!
I've had similar experiences. I had a positive experience when I called ChildLine, but admittedly that was 10 years ago!
Samaritans I find useless as from the moment they answer they basically just try to get me off the phone and tell me to 'go to sleep' and that 'it will be better in the morning'! I mean, seriously, who trains these people???
The only number I find helpful is my local mental health line - it might be worth checking if your PCT provides one?
I also use the Duty Social Worker (affiliated to the mental health team in my area) and generally they are quite good although when I call them out of hours I have to go through the Council's social services number and usually end up speaking to someone who is an admin person who doesn't understand and can't get to speak to a Duty Social Worker unless I work really hard to plead my case and I'm not always up to doing that!
But certainly, I'd say checkout if your PCT has out of hours mental health line.
I think there's SaneLine as well but I have a feeling they only have very limited hours due to funding.
I've emailed the Samaritans quite a lot before.
Over Easter I was very unstable. They put me on a Care Plan where they don't reply to me until 48 hours or more after my email.
Which didn't help. I mean, it stopped me emailing them, because it just felt no point. And it just made me feel like they were getting rid of me.
I'm not sure what to use as an alternative, as I have a potentially rocky time coming up.
We have a counselling phone line available via work. I don't know how good they'd be for intense stuff like I deal with though. Hmm.
I've emailed Support Line before, and their replies have been really helpful, but it seems more of a one off.
Phone anxiety limits me somewhat. But I may just have to get a hold of things and use a phone line in future if I need something.
I rang childline after an assault (even though I was 18, lol) and they were really nice. It was like 2 in the morning and I was so out of it I couldn't answer most of their questions. I just remember them repeatedly asking me if I was safe. Don't rememebr much else, but I'm alive and kicking so they did something right.
I've emailed Samaritans, but didn't find it very helpful becasue I wanted someone to offer me specific support and all they could do was tell me to go to the doctors.
Currently talking to cruse bereavement. They're nice thus far, and have arranged to ring me to be put on the waiting list to talk to someone.
Also spoke to Live Help here on RYL - they are wonderful! And done 1-2-1 with B-EAT which also wasn't helpful as they told me to go to the doctor (again).
Child-line 9/10 was very good for me, they really helped so much, Samaritans were far more hit and miss, some were good but a fair few were tactless and didn't know what to say.
'Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.'
['There is only one thing we say to death. Not today'.']
'We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.’ – Oscar Wilde
‘It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.’ Sydney Carter
I've used the Samaritans and their emailing system has been an absolute lifesaver. Sometimes they are incredibly vague in their answers and they don't always say the best things but their support has been invaluable and they've helped a hell of a lot. With calling them, I kind of said I wouldn't do that again. I think I've called twice and they were incredibly patronizing both times saying I should be a 'good girl' and 'if I was your mother' which just didn't help and made me feel small. Not sure if they were just bad experiences.
Childline have been a little hit and miss to call. Sometimes they are amazing and other times they have assumed I was lying and basically told me to get off the phone so they could help someone who actually wanted it. The 1-2-1 chat has technical difficulties a lot of the time and so they cut you off after a while. They do ask if you're safe a lot though. Too old now though so I wouldn't email them again.
I've used Kooth counselling before, just random sessions and some of their counsellors are better than others. They have helped though.
GetConnected can be useful, even though it is meant to direct you towards getting support in other places, it can help to talk to them when you just don't want to use anywhere else.
Beat have been the most amazing support organisation that I have ever used.
Sams I found a little difficult to talk too; I think it just wasn't what I needed at the time. A few of the people didn't really want to talk, one was really lovely though.
I have also spoken to GetConnected.... I spoke to one lady once and sobbed for like, half an hour, and then she asked who I wanted to be connected too and I was like 'Erm, I feel better now I've spoken to you' haha. She was like Oh.....!! I think it made her day, she was truly ace. x
-“And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom.” Anais Nin-
Allie, Mutt, Great Grandma, Hope and Humbug. I love you and miss you all. xx
Calling Samaritians was an AWFUL experience for me personally. I was sat on the floor, in the rain at 2 in the morning, 4 miles away from home, completely and absolutely desperate and the woman on the other end of the phone was almost silent, she barely asked any questions and I found myself just mortified, I was scared to hang up because I was so alone, but scared to stay on the phone because she seemed more awkward and nervous than I was! I actually ended up begging her to just speak... I was saying 'Please will you just say anything, even the bloody alphabet if you must!' =p
But I've emailed them in the past and they were quite helpful.
Don't let it put you off though... there are hundreds of volunteers at Samaritians and it might just have been my bad luck I got a quiet one...
I've never called anybody else but the Crisis Team, I was in a state then too, and they were helpful in a way because they knew who I was, they knew my history and they contacted my social worker the following day... but other than that the phone call was quite horrible, they kind of talked at me rather than too me, but I suppose it was a tactic, and it was an awful lot better than silence!
Sorry for the rant... lol, some can be useful, you just have to speak to the right person... if you call the Samaritians and the person on the opther end is difficult to talk to, call back and you'll probably get a different one.
Urm yeah, if you feel it will be helpful... go for it! =]
~Beauty without intellence, is a materpiece painted on a napkin.~
Yus, the same. With the sams I had a guy who I totally couldn't talk too, but I had a lovely lady who was really, really calming and kind. I did ring back and talk to someone else though - so that's probably the way to go. x
-“And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom.” Anais Nin-
Allie, Mutt, Great Grandma, Hope and Humbug. I love you and miss you all. xx
Like others here, emailing the samaritans was just no good. They never replied until at least 2 days after, so I gave up. However, I decided to Text them, and that was actually the best thing ive done with regards to helplines. They replied almost straight away in most cases, and were extremely good.
Samaritans was a bit weird. I had some guy telling me I shouldn't top myself because I sounded like I was pretty and there was a shortage of young women in this country, then it changed into "this country needs scientists". Which was all a bit random and not particularly helpful. I've found them useful by emails though.
Although he was being 'nice' I must admit that's quite unprofessional to hit on someone over a helpline. I mean, for all he knew, you could've been a sexual abuse victim who has a phobia of men or something.
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Other helpline I used was Focusline, which is run by Rethink. That was not so great as they phoned the police on me and I got carted off to hospital against my wishes. I guess if things had been more serious they would have been justified, but I knew I didn't need hospital, hence why I didn't go to A+E of my own volition.
I don't get that. All these helplines swear confidentiality, yet I've heard so many times that they intervene by calling the Police on you. Do they trace your phone number or do you tell them where you live?
In that case, told them where I live. Focusline is a helpline that's specific to the East Midlands and receives funding from the NHS and can also refer you on to people such as social services and things, so I didn't think it was that weird that I had to give my address.
In that case, told them where I live. Focusline is a helpline that's specific to the East Midlands and receives funding from the NHS and can also refer you on to people such as social services and things, so I didn't think it was that weird that I had to give my address.
Ah. Sorry. I didn't know that. I hadn't heard of them tbh. But I don't live in the East Midlands.
I think it made her day, she was truly ace. x
