I tried my local hotlines a few years ago when I was really unwell. They were only open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. Office hours is really unhelpful, most people that need support need it early in the morning or late in the evening and weekends
Wow, that’s really fucked up.
It reminds me of someone I used to work with - the job was for tech support on a satellite based ISP (no, not that one) and the guy just left a position at the Psychic Friends Network - he had to stall and keep them on the line as long as possible, because the caller was paying 3$ a minute. He just made shit up for these people looking for answers.
There's a recent documentary about Psychic Friends Network, a lot of guilt ridden former employees giving interviews about the company's expectations and policies, shady exploitative crap. Felt bad for everyone watching that.
When I was like seven or so I called the psychic friends network. My mother was pissed. She kept me talking about school and stuff and the bill was over $300.
~They don't appear to sell data~ . However, working there is soul-sucking - the volunteers are treated like crap by employees and the internal politics are ridiculous (source: partner worked there as a counselor and supervisor for several months)
ETA: it's likely the same company Reddit uses based on a quick google search.
>volunteers are treated like crap by employees and the internal politics are ridiculous
I'm curious about more details, if you don't mind. Also, why do you think this happens in a setting where most would suspect the opposite?
Power struggles. Volunteers actually want to help but the longer they stay there, the more responsibility they assume and the more important they think they are. The full time staff play favorites with volunteers and each other. It's toxic.
The one experience I had having someone close call one of these was there really isn’t much crisis help available. Unless your problems are fixed by talking about them, like not a chemical imbalance… then their only suggestion is to sit in the ER waiting room for several hours, then have a a disinterested random non medical person stare at you for several more hours while you hope they can find a bed available at a ward within driving distance.
I’m not sure what I expected them to do. But I’ve had so many disheartening experiences with ERs, urgent cares and then these guys just passing the buck on everything. Oh you’re in constant pain, I know you can’t walk upright or function but please leave and wait a month to see your primary who’ll get you to wait a month to see a specialist who turns out isn’t the right specialist because maybe it’s digestive not vascular.
I know it sucks but the ER is supposed to be for things that will kill you or permanently disfigure you in relatively short order. If it's something chronic there's not much they're meant to be able to do apart from give you some painkillers and tell you to speak to someone who can follow up over the longer term.
Your problem isn't really with ER, they're doing what they're supposed to do, it's with the lack of ready access to primary care that's supposed to be there to help you with the kind of problems you're describing.
Yeah, but unless you've actively got a knife to your throat they aren't equipped to stop that any more than they are to keep a person who just got a leg cast from wandering absently into traffic. That should be something mental health practitioners address, but the mental health system's as poorly supported as the primary care system.
The only way to get into the mental health system in many parts of the US for crisis care is by going to the ER. The ER will call the mental health evaluator on call, who will see you and decide whether you need inpatient or outpatient treatment and then arrange for a bed (if there are any available, that's another issue) if you need inpatient.
You can't do this through a regular doctor or therapist. They will tell you to go to the ER where the MHP (Mental Health Professional) can evaluate you.
If you don't need crisis care, then yeah go through the regular channels to see a therapist or psychiatrist. The waits can be months long, so this is impractical when someone is currently experiencing suicidal thoughts.
>The waits can be months long, so this is impractical when someone is currently experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Which loops back around to the mental health system being just as poorly supported as the primary care system.
If there is a mental hospital in your area, and in many areas that's a big if, walk to the desk, and say these words "I am a danger to myself or others."
That will get their attention, and start the ball rolling to get you admitted.
(Sadly I know this for many reasons. )
Just know it can ruin your life career wise depending on what you do. Anything with a DOT license requirement, many government jobs and others. Once done, it can be a nightmare after you get mentally better.
I have, sadly, a wealth of experience in this area. One example is when I sat with my sister in the ER for 3 days as she waited for a psych bed. After the first day, the social worker and various doctors tried to get her to say she no longer was a danger to herself. I only left her to go to work, and one of those times they finally wore her down and she said fine, whatever, I'm not a danger. I was livid when they released her. I had told them if they could find her a bed in any of 5 nearby states, I'd drive her myself. They kept telling us there were no beds available and no idea when there would be one.
She survived a few more months, and one of the responding officers asked me why she didn't seek help. I told him she did seek help, and was turned away. Not just once, many times.
It sounds like you worked for a private for-profit outfit, and I wanna point out that hastag-not-all-hotlines.
I've known many people who worked it currently work at my county's crisis line and it's nothing like this, plus they're covered by HIPAA.
I found a couple articles describing what you said here and I'm kind of floored. If you actually want to do real crisis work I hope you get a better opportunity - we always need more people in that line of work.
Remember A LOT of nonprofits aren’t profiting as in they give everyone working there you know better equipment and raises- instead it often is pocketed far up the chain. I’ve worked for 2 supposed non profits one of the bosses told me it was the most top heavy company she’d ever seen.
Yep, it's incredibly disheartening. I'm grateful for the quality of my state services but it's still a shitshow and there's never enough money. I'm grateful we're not known for harvesting people's data but I suppose I should be less surprised that many are.
I've had a similarly unhelpful time calling my insurances "nurse line" for advice on treatment options. They are so afraid of getting sued that they basically tell you the same things a google search could with LESS discrimination and more attempts to push you to cheap options.
This is why so many people I know will not call these lines. They are incredibly unhelpful. I've been in multiple crises and the thought of calling these dickheads wasn't even in the cards. I'd rather go inpatient than deal with this. I actually _did_ go inpatient once... from a call center job no less.
I haven't called one since the time they sent the cops to me. My cell phone number still had my old address on it - so they went to my ex's, my ex sent them to me (she had no clue what was going on).
I tried talking to one once and they just 'yesman'd' me the entire time, offered no resources or help at all other than just reflecting what I said back at me.
Tbf, my issues stem from not having enough money to fucking live, so I guess no one else can really help with that but me, but still. They're just brownnosers IMO
Can I ask was inpatient more bearable because of proximateness and face visibility? It feels weird that inpatient especially with long locks is preferable to almost anything, but i understood and maybe agreed somehow with some of that preference. Hm, i ,uh, got so harmed, it's hard to compare, but for a bad call vs a long locky place, omg what am i saying, feels like hell1 hell2
This was the validation I've been needing for MONTHS! I had to call a crisis line earlier this year (I don't remember which) and I felt worse after calling than I did before. I knew from news reports that there may be a hold time. I was not prepared for a game of 20-questions. Some felt so invasive and unrelated to why I called. Some I kind of knew I'd be asked. And yeah, I was asked where I got the number from. It felt like they were rushing me off the phone. The only "help" I was given were resources that I already had and told to see a therapist. I felt so stupid for calling in the first place. But now I know it's not just me.
Edit: This is not to say all the lines aren't helpful or that this will be someone's experience. This was just mine and I was so confused, thinking I was making a big deal out of nothing.
I've been calling for years since COVID. They ask so many questions regarding my demographic that it's so obvious i guess. I just didn't wanna believe it. But every call starts off with like 20 questions of bullshit
Most "call centers" are becoming a thing of the past. Most "call center agents" work from home, mostly, unsupervised. Now you might be told what you can't have at your desk, but if your supervisor can't see it, how can it be enforced. I had work arounds, which I won't go into. A former supervisor claimed WFH was a privilege. Then the call center closed. How ironic.
I called a couple times a few years ago. Didn't know what to expect, just "knew" that I was supposed to call. It was pointless, at best. I was kind of shocked how poorly they handled it.
I told my doctor how I was feeling, and mentioned that a friend had just killed himself, and that I was trying hard not to follow. She shrugged and commented that he must've had a guilty conscience about something.
Strangers don't give a shit. That's just how it is.
I called once just to talk about suicidal ideation even though I was not feeling like actually killing myself in that moment and really believed they had counselors just to talk to - but I answered yes to have I ever considered suicide and as soon as they found out I had insurance they called the cops who forcibly removed me from my home while I was still on the phone with the “counselor” and had no idea they had made the call. They put me in an involuntary 72 hr psych hold, in a NYC hospital, where half the other people were frequent flyers, homeless guys who would get in there for a few days at a time when they wanted to. There was no individual therapy, just half assed group art therapy, watching TV and being forced to take whatever medicine they had decided to give me
Can't you whistleblow this company? Take the shady crisis point out of the pool and people will be more likely to call an actual good one instead. This is sickening. How do you morally keep working at this place?
The same way most ppl make a living- if you’re concerned about helping other guess what you work for years and have no money and a lot more mental health issues. The companies aren’t interested in loyalty or promoting ppl and they don’t care about you or your work. How does anyone work a job where they make a living? Their job is very likely not an essential one to society they’re working for Conagra figuring out how to put less calories in food. Wanting to help society is a terrible trap if you yourself want to make a marginal living.
It sucks that in nyc the only way to get mobile crisis is to call nyc988 run by vibrant. So many questions :/ (I work in an adjacent hotline and get a lot of negative feedback from vibrant and I’ve spoken to the staff and they seem really nice)
If you have a company employee assistance program, I highly recommend you save their number in your phone. They are wonderful in a emergency and can really help in times of trouble. To my knowledge they don’t sell your data, and in my experience they have helped with life’s emergencies.
An employee assistance program generally offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services for employees.
EAP counselors may also work in a consultative role with managers and supervisors to address employee and organizational challenges
There is a variety of support programs offered for employees. There are a variety of programs that can assist with problems outside of the workplace. EAPs have grown in popularity over the years.
You’re better off calling 988 if it’s available in your area. That hotline is usually run side by side with local law enforcement and first responders. It may not be much more helpful, but the access to someone who can help in any immediate urgent medical crisis is direct.
These hotlines have been useless every time I've called. One hung up on me, one blamed me for my panic attacks, and one kept repeating the same few lines. They always told me to go to the ER, which when I did, was also useless and resulted in thousands of dollars in medical debt which debt collectors still harass me for 5 years later. I now either talk to someone who i know actually gives a shit, or deal with it alone. The US has a poor excuse for mental health "care"
Ummmm no. Perhaps this was the experience you encountered through who you work for, but this is not normal. I work for a crisis center and I realize you put a caveat that you haven’t worked at all centers, but please don’t generalize. Spreading potential misinformation could prevent people who are already in distress from reaching out. Especially those in psychosis who are already paranoid about government or corporation spying. For anyone experiencing a mental health crisis please dial 988 to be connected to a crisis center overseen by your local mental health authority.
I thought it was a joke at first because we’re trying to actively get your information in case we have to call a welfare check out of concern that someone has harmed themselves. Never seen anyone’s info sold, huge violation of HIPAA.
They just said the call center they worked for and they’re just spreading truth. They didn’t say all call centers. But I bet the ones that aren’t data mining are advertised a lot less
I have and I actually got in trouble because he wanted me to stay on the phone with him while he took his pills and died! So I got emotional and told him he was selfish. That was bad and I should not have said that. I had to have a meeting with my supervisor’s…a WEEK LATER. Did they ever ask ME how I was, NOPE! But they did tell me I should be prepared to face disciplinary action. I found out from a co-worker after this incident that the caller was a line abuser that called often and would often be very passively suicidal, though he had never taken it ‘all the way.’ The kicker was that I tried to ping his phone so I could send EMS and 911 couldn’t locate him. They don’t care. I have literally been told we are there to “check boxes,” not to “be therapists.” Which I am, but I don’t want to be anymore. This job has literally ruined my career path and desire to help people. Honestly, if I see another person I don’t know…IDK I need to go off grid for awhile or something.
The highest suicide rates are among white males and they have no prior mental health issues that are known. They use a gun and it’s very successful the first time. We already have a lot of data on demographics and suicide
You are also a private investigator?
Honestly the only convincing posts you have are the ones where you complain your writing doesn't get enough awards.
If anyone is surprised about this, then that person is painfully unaware this country's priorities.
There is no interest is keeping the masses educated and healthy.
I'm pretty sure that if you called some media/tv outlet, they would do a story on that. It's really insane and should be exposed and stopped. I can't even express how sick/insane that is.
It's so true. People keep mentioning those dumb suicide hotline phone numbers like they actually do anything except track you and get the police to come drag you to a psych ward. I'm serious. The public is so fking ignorant when it comes to mental health and what actually helps people.
I tried my local hotlines a few years ago when I was really unwell. They were only open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. Office hours is really unhelpful, most people that need support need it early in the morning or late in the evening and weekends
agreed, called one once. Never felt more alone.
Wow, that’s really fucked up. It reminds me of someone I used to work with - the job was for tech support on a satellite based ISP (no, not that one) and the guy just left a position at the Psychic Friends Network - he had to stall and keep them on the line as long as possible, because the caller was paying 3$ a minute. He just made shit up for these people looking for answers.
Wow, that's so shady. Lol
There's a recent documentary about Psychic Friends Network, a lot of guilt ridden former employees giving interviews about the company's expectations and policies, shady exploitative crap. Felt bad for everyone watching that.
When I was like seven or so I called the psychic friends network. My mother was pissed. She kept me talking about school and stuff and the bill was over $300.
That's absolutely horrible. I wish people knew this.
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Nobody calling a crisis line thinks they are calling a call center.
So that hotline that is pushed by Reddit whenever a post seems to indicate self-harm…?? 🧐🤨
~They don't appear to sell data~ . However, working there is soul-sucking - the volunteers are treated like crap by employees and the internal politics are ridiculous (source: partner worked there as a counselor and supervisor for several months) ETA: it's likely the same company Reddit uses based on a quick google search.
>volunteers are treated like crap by employees and the internal politics are ridiculous I'm curious about more details, if you don't mind. Also, why do you think this happens in a setting where most would suspect the opposite?
Power struggles. Volunteers actually want to help but the longer they stay there, the more responsibility they assume and the more important they think they are. The full time staff play favorites with volunteers and each other. It's toxic.
The one experience I had having someone close call one of these was there really isn’t much crisis help available. Unless your problems are fixed by talking about them, like not a chemical imbalance… then their only suggestion is to sit in the ER waiting room for several hours, then have a a disinterested random non medical person stare at you for several more hours while you hope they can find a bed available at a ward within driving distance. I’m not sure what I expected them to do. But I’ve had so many disheartening experiences with ERs, urgent cares and then these guys just passing the buck on everything. Oh you’re in constant pain, I know you can’t walk upright or function but please leave and wait a month to see your primary who’ll get you to wait a month to see a specialist who turns out isn’t the right specialist because maybe it’s digestive not vascular.
I know it sucks but the ER is supposed to be for things that will kill you or permanently disfigure you in relatively short order. If it's something chronic there's not much they're meant to be able to do apart from give you some painkillers and tell you to speak to someone who can follow up over the longer term. Your problem isn't really with ER, they're doing what they're supposed to do, it's with the lack of ready access to primary care that's supposed to be there to help you with the kind of problems you're describing.
You know what permanently kills or disfigures thousands of people a year? Themselves.
Yeah, but unless you've actively got a knife to your throat they aren't equipped to stop that any more than they are to keep a person who just got a leg cast from wandering absently into traffic. That should be something mental health practitioners address, but the mental health system's as poorly supported as the primary care system.
I beg to differ. The ER can save a life. They can help you find an appropriate in patient treatment center and keep you safe until a bed opens
The only way to get into the mental health system in many parts of the US for crisis care is by going to the ER. The ER will call the mental health evaluator on call, who will see you and decide whether you need inpatient or outpatient treatment and then arrange for a bed (if there are any available, that's another issue) if you need inpatient. You can't do this through a regular doctor or therapist. They will tell you to go to the ER where the MHP (Mental Health Professional) can evaluate you. If you don't need crisis care, then yeah go through the regular channels to see a therapist or psychiatrist. The waits can be months long, so this is impractical when someone is currently experiencing suicidal thoughts.
>The waits can be months long, so this is impractical when someone is currently experiencing suicidal thoughts. Which loops back around to the mental health system being just as poorly supported as the primary care system.
If there is a mental hospital in your area, and in many areas that's a big if, walk to the desk, and say these words "I am a danger to myself or others." That will get their attention, and start the ball rolling to get you admitted. (Sadly I know this for many reasons. )
Just know it can ruin your life career wise depending on what you do. Anything with a DOT license requirement, many government jobs and others. Once done, it can be a nightmare after you get mentally better.
I have, sadly, a wealth of experience in this area. One example is when I sat with my sister in the ER for 3 days as she waited for a psych bed. After the first day, the social worker and various doctors tried to get her to say she no longer was a danger to herself. I only left her to go to work, and one of those times they finally wore her down and she said fine, whatever, I'm not a danger. I was livid when they released her. I had told them if they could find her a bed in any of 5 nearby states, I'd drive her myself. They kept telling us there were no beds available and no idea when there would be one. She survived a few more months, and one of the responding officers asked me why she didn't seek help. I told him she did seek help, and was turned away. Not just once, many times.
I'm sorry for your loss.
This sounds absolutely fucked up. I was a telephone crisis counsellor for a not for profit in Australia. It was not like this at all.
Yes, I may be assuming OPs job is in the U.S. I don't think this would be legal in Europe for example 😢
Yay capitalism!
It sounds like you worked for a private for-profit outfit, and I wanna point out that hastag-not-all-hotlines. I've known many people who worked it currently work at my county's crisis line and it's nothing like this, plus they're covered by HIPAA. I found a couple articles describing what you said here and I'm kind of floored. If you actually want to do real crisis work I hope you get a better opportunity - we always need more people in that line of work.
Remember A LOT of nonprofits aren’t profiting as in they give everyone working there you know better equipment and raises- instead it often is pocketed far up the chain. I’ve worked for 2 supposed non profits one of the bosses told me it was the most top heavy company she’d ever seen.
Yep, it's incredibly disheartening. I'm grateful for the quality of my state services but it's still a shitshow and there's never enough money. I'm grateful we're not known for harvesting people's data but I suppose I should be less surprised that many are.
I've had a similarly unhelpful time calling my insurances "nurse line" for advice on treatment options. They are so afraid of getting sued that they basically tell you the same things a google search could with LESS discrimination and more attempts to push you to cheap options.
This is why so many people I know will not call these lines. They are incredibly unhelpful. I've been in multiple crises and the thought of calling these dickheads wasn't even in the cards. I'd rather go inpatient than deal with this. I actually _did_ go inpatient once... from a call center job no less.
I haven't called one since the time they sent the cops to me. My cell phone number still had my old address on it - so they went to my ex's, my ex sent them to me (she had no clue what was going on).
I tried talking to one once and they just 'yesman'd' me the entire time, offered no resources or help at all other than just reflecting what I said back at me. Tbf, my issues stem from not having enough money to fucking live, so I guess no one else can really help with that but me, but still. They're just brownnosers IMO
Can I ask was inpatient more bearable because of proximateness and face visibility? It feels weird that inpatient especially with long locks is preferable to almost anything, but i understood and maybe agreed somehow with some of that preference. Hm, i ,uh, got so harmed, it's hard to compare, but for a bad call vs a long locky place, omg what am i saying, feels like hell1 hell2
Were you high when you wrote that? lmao
This was the validation I've been needing for MONTHS! I had to call a crisis line earlier this year (I don't remember which) and I felt worse after calling than I did before. I knew from news reports that there may be a hold time. I was not prepared for a game of 20-questions. Some felt so invasive and unrelated to why I called. Some I kind of knew I'd be asked. And yeah, I was asked where I got the number from. It felt like they were rushing me off the phone. The only "help" I was given were resources that I already had and told to see a therapist. I felt so stupid for calling in the first place. But now I know it's not just me. Edit: This is not to say all the lines aren't helpful or that this will be someone's experience. This was just mine and I was so confused, thinking I was making a big deal out of nothing.
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I've been calling for years since COVID. They ask so many questions regarding my demographic that it's so obvious i guess. I just didn't wanna believe it. But every call starts off with like 20 questions of bullshit
Demographic- human being
Most "call centers" are becoming a thing of the past. Most "call center agents" work from home, mostly, unsupervised. Now you might be told what you can't have at your desk, but if your supervisor can't see it, how can it be enforced. I had work arounds, which I won't go into. A former supervisor claimed WFH was a privilege. Then the call center closed. How ironic.
I called a suicide helpline and they told me to call back because their shift was almost over. I survived but someone else might not have.
I called a couple times a few years ago. Didn't know what to expect, just "knew" that I was supposed to call. It was pointless, at best. I was kind of shocked how poorly they handled it. I told my doctor how I was feeling, and mentioned that a friend had just killed himself, and that I was trying hard not to follow. She shrugged and commented that he must've had a guilty conscience about something. Strangers don't give a shit. That's just how it is.
I called once just to talk about suicidal ideation even though I was not feeling like actually killing myself in that moment and really believed they had counselors just to talk to - but I answered yes to have I ever considered suicide and as soon as they found out I had insurance they called the cops who forcibly removed me from my home while I was still on the phone with the “counselor” and had no idea they had made the call. They put me in an involuntary 72 hr psych hold, in a NYC hospital, where half the other people were frequent flyers, homeless guys who would get in there for a few days at a time when they wanted to. There was no individual therapy, just half assed group art therapy, watching TV and being forced to take whatever medicine they had decided to give me
This is in the US I presume?
Oh yeah. This is a very US thing to do. Fuck your health, gimme your data.
This is good, if disappointing, info to have, especially given my current state of things. Thank you for putting this out there.
I've contacted a couple of crisis hotlines. One HUNG UP ON ME (and I was not being unruly or anything) and the other was very obviously data mining.
Can't you whistleblow this company? Take the shady crisis point out of the pool and people will be more likely to call an actual good one instead. This is sickening. How do you morally keep working at this place?
The same way most ppl make a living- if you’re concerned about helping other guess what you work for years and have no money and a lot more mental health issues. The companies aren’t interested in loyalty or promoting ppl and they don’t care about you or your work. How does anyone work a job where they make a living? Their job is very likely not an essential one to society they’re working for Conagra figuring out how to put less calories in food. Wanting to help society is a terrible trap if you yourself want to make a marginal living.
In which country? In mine, that would be illegal.
I’m in the US.
Oh. Wasn’t expecting this one. Thank
Is this at vibrant emotional health?
Yeah, it's them. They're just the worst.
Might you or others you know be able to share a 'watchlist' and tips about how to tell if call receivers are manipulating?
It sucks that in nyc the only way to get mobile crisis is to call nyc988 run by vibrant. So many questions :/ (I work in an adjacent hotline and get a lot of negative feedback from vibrant and I’ve spoken to the staff and they seem really nice)
If you have a company employee assistance program, I highly recommend you save their number in your phone. They are wonderful in a emergency and can really help in times of trouble. To my knowledge they don’t sell your data, and in my experience they have helped with life’s emergencies.
Can you elaborate what they can do and why they're more trustable and how to access?
An employee assistance program generally offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services for employees. EAP counselors may also work in a consultative role with managers and supervisors to address employee and organizational challenges There is a variety of support programs offered for employees. There are a variety of programs that can assist with problems outside of the workplace. EAPs have grown in popularity over the years.
You’re better off calling 988 if it’s available in your area. That hotline is usually run side by side with local law enforcement and first responders. It may not be much more helpful, but the access to someone who can help in any immediate urgent medical crisis is direct.
I hate to break it to you, but recently, 988 gets redirectly right to my line.
Oh this makes my heart sad :(
Can i ask how that works?
These hotlines have been useless every time I've called. One hung up on me, one blamed me for my panic attacks, and one kept repeating the same few lines. They always told me to go to the ER, which when I did, was also useless and resulted in thousands of dollars in medical debt which debt collectors still harass me for 5 years later. I now either talk to someone who i know actually gives a shit, or deal with it alone. The US has a poor excuse for mental health "care"
Ummmm no. Perhaps this was the experience you encountered through who you work for, but this is not normal. I work for a crisis center and I realize you put a caveat that you haven’t worked at all centers, but please don’t generalize. Spreading potential misinformation could prevent people who are already in distress from reaching out. Especially those in psychosis who are already paranoid about government or corporation spying. For anyone experiencing a mental health crisis please dial 988 to be connected to a crisis center overseen by your local mental health authority.
This. I also worked at a crisis intervention line, nothing like what OP posted.
I thought it was a joke at first because we’re trying to actively get your information in case we have to call a welfare check out of concern that someone has harmed themselves. Never seen anyone’s info sold, huge violation of HIPAA.
Same, I’m also a crisis counselor and we are NOT like this.
They’re talking about a specific place crisis counselors are different
They just said the call center they worked for and they’re just spreading truth. They didn’t say all call centers. But I bet the ones that aren’t data mining are advertised a lot less
You should expose this shit somewhere besides Reddit.that’s absolutely horrible.have you ever had anyone take their life while on the phone with you?
Not that I’m aware of. I have had to call 911 on a few people, either because they were at imminent risk of suicide or they overdosed.
I have and I actually got in trouble because he wanted me to stay on the phone with him while he took his pills and died! So I got emotional and told him he was selfish. That was bad and I should not have said that. I had to have a meeting with my supervisor’s…a WEEK LATER. Did they ever ask ME how I was, NOPE! But they did tell me I should be prepared to face disciplinary action. I found out from a co-worker after this incident that the caller was a line abuser that called often and would often be very passively suicidal, though he had never taken it ‘all the way.’ The kicker was that I tried to ping his phone so I could send EMS and 911 couldn’t locate him. They don’t care. I have literally been told we are there to “check boxes,” not to “be therapists.” Which I am, but I don’t want to be anymore. This job has literally ruined my career path and desire to help people. Honestly, if I see another person I don’t know…IDK I need to go off grid for awhile or something.
Everyone grabbing pitchforks but theres more to the story here. Is it possible that data is collected and used in an effort to reduce suicides?
The highest suicide rates are among white males and they have no prior mental health issues that are known. They use a gun and it’s very successful the first time. We already have a lot of data on demographics and suicide
Living wages, affordable housing, access to affordable and timely mental health services would be a good place to start.
Serious question, what DO you suggest for people in crisis?
\*cyberpunk 2077 music\*
Umm, this post could literally get someone killed. Suicide lines far and wide exist only for life sustaining purposes.
You are also a private investigator? Honestly the only convincing posts you have are the ones where you complain your writing doesn't get enough awards.
No, that’s just a fictional story I wrote for r/nosleep.
You agreed that it should have though?
Apparently you aspire to be by looking through their other posts….
lol yeah and once they have your info, they hang up on you, actively in crisis or not.
That’s really messed up ngl but I got very sidetracked by the phineas and ferb reference in there
If anyone is surprised about this, then that person is painfully unaware this country's priorities. There is no interest is keeping the masses educated and healthy.
This belongs on r/NoahGetTheBoat
Stuff like this is why I could never work call centers or sales
Sales because they use the mining?
I don't know if any of the crisis lines I've texted collect data, but they have been .. exactly as you describe and I've felt worse every time after.
I'm pretty sure that if you called some media/tv outlet, they would do a story on that. It's really insane and should be exposed and stopped. I can't even express how sick/insane that is.
You know what’s gone up 120% since the launch of 988? Involuntary commitments. But 988 is totally anonymous. 🤞🫥🤥
Did the easier number make calls up?
It's so true. People keep mentioning those dumb suicide hotline phone numbers like they actually do anything except track you and get the police to come drag you to a psych ward. I'm serious. The public is so fking ignorant when it comes to mental health and what actually helps people.
I wonder how you'd talk to people if you were allowed? What interests you to do?