Samaritans

[EvianBaby]

Have you ever called them? We're they helpful to you? Or indeed worked for them?

[woofgang]

The trouble with giving advice is that from nothing and on a phone it's very dangerously easy to give the wrong advice and make things worse. You also have to assume that people will be telling you things from their perspective only and while they may not be lying as such, what they say may not be factually accurate. I have some similar experience, not Samaritans but within the nhs, I did assessment calls for a community service. Folk would tell you that they had never had any help, that no one had ever given them a diagnosis, that the doctor wouldn't prescribe pain relief, that the family never visited and so on. While I honestly believe that they believed what they were saying and that that is how the situation felt to them, in about half of the cases the facts were.....well other than they had been represented.

[RATTER15]

I contacted them because of a young woman I knew well was threatening to throw herself off a bridge one night, I convinced her to go and talk to the Samaritans but when I phoned the Samaritans they refused to see her after dark and she would not telephone them, In the end I had to get her arrested, she was then locked in a Psychiatric hospital for a few weeks. I feel that they failed her.

[tinkerbell23]

Its never ever crossed my mind to call them evem when ive been up and cant sleep having massive panic attacks ad nearly calling an ambulance....

I dont even think ive heard of their number x

[RATTER15]

headwreck, I do still see her around, she is now quite reclusive and probably suffering from mental health issues, she no longer recognises me, its a shame but I really cant go down that road with her again, those were very difficult times.

[EvianBaby]

You get far more from here than you would from them Tinks.

[tinkerbell23]

Here is where i come - haven! X

[Andyvon]

Woofgang -

I spent a couple of years doing voluntary work at a day centre and acting a a patient and public rep. for the council and NHS. You are exactly right - I found exactly the same thing.

With regards to the Samaritans it would obviously be wrong and dangerous for someone who doesn't understand the situation to give advice. However, it does leave a caller with the feeling that the Samaritans are cold, unhelpful and disinterested. Perhaps the Samaritans should make it more widely known that they don't have answers and they can't sort ut peoples' personal, medical etc problems. Many people seem to have the impression that they only have to call the Samaritans and their problems will be over.

[EvianBaby]

I feel let down too ratter.

[maggiebee]

I'm Chairperson at the Dundee branch of Samaritans.

[sherrardk]

Hi Evian, just wondering - is this just idle curiosity or is there something wrong? x

[vodkancoke]

I have mentioned it a few times on here, but I called them after witnessing a suicide. A girl threw herself off the top floor of a hotel in Edinburgh and landed a few feet from me...not nice. :(

I had to go to my doc because I wasn't sleeping (and why I still don't sleep to this day) and he gave me temazepam. It didn't help and family members told me to call the samaritans to see if they could offer me any help. I contacted them via email because everytime I spoke about it I burst into tears. I managed to get everything down and within an hour they got back to me asking loads of questions and we communicated like that for about 2 weeks. I felt it helped because it was someone who didn't know me and I didn't have to keep anything from them about how I was feeling. Whenever I spoke to family or friends I felt ashamed to be feeling the way I was.

Anyway, 2 years later, the sleep pattern is still rubbish but I am now able to drive past the spot where she died and I can talk about it without crying.

I think to work for them would be incredibly difficult. I am too much of a sap to be able to handle what they must hear. :(

[EvianBaby]

Don't want to go into detail Sher but yes I called them, like everyone tells you to, and wished I hadn't.

[daisya]

A lot of the time it was difficult vod. Some people used to ring and say nothing, not but once but time after time and we could never put the phone down first, the call always had to be ended but the caller.

[daisya]

That's such a shame Evian, you must feel let down like that.

[sherrardk]

Hi Evian, didn't mean to pry, hope it is in the past and you don't need help tonight (if you see what I mean). x

[vodkancoke]

That's so sad daisya :(

Evian I hope you are ok. I know you don't want to say what's up, but I'm thinking of you. I don't like to think of other people being so down :( ((((hugs)))) xxx

[maggiebee]

Headwreck, you can talk to a Samaritan face to face. Not all branches are open 24/7 though so it's best to make an appointment. Not ideal, but we desperately need move trained volunteers. I love being a Samaritan.