Well, as it's been described, the Sams are a charity and organisation ran by volunteers to help those in great emotional distress. They are 100% confidential, so they won't call the police (etc) on you if you say you're committing suicide because they believe in the right to choose. I think they only break confidentiality if you are a risk to other people.. I'm not even sure of that.
I've never called them, but I've emailed them (
jo@samaritans.org) and if you want my honest opinion, they weren't overly helpful. They asked questions at first, stuff like "what makes you feel this way?" but as the conversations go, they try to kill it off, and end on the usual note that "I hope you feel well now, you should contact your GP". Two of my friends have used the email service, and felt the same way.
I once rang Childline when I was 17, and I got all shy when the man answered, and then he just said "call back when you're ready to speak" and hung-up, which wasn't overly helpful. I've heard that NHS Direct (0845 4647) are helpful for crisises because trained nurses speak to you.. but being the NHS, they're bound by the same confidentiality laws as doctors and counsellors etc, so they will probably call an ambulance and the police on you if you they believe you're a risk to yourself or others.
EDIT:
Just realised you're from the U.S.
I'm not sure if you can ring the Sams over there or not, although you can certainly email them, but I know there's a national suicide hotline there.. the number is:
1-800-SUICIDE if I'm not wrong..
That's the only one I know. I have no clue about their confidentiality rules, though I've heard that it's the law in the US or something that they call the emergency services on you if you're a risk to yourself/others.
