Samaritans

[EvianBaby]

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

[tinkerbell23]

Im no samaritan but as always i can be contacted via myy throwaway or facey if anyone needs me!!!

Voddy thats awful :0( so so so awful. Xx

[email protected]

Xx

[daisya]

Glad you enjoy it maggie, I did too and was sorry to leave because of moving away and health problems taking over. It can be rewarding when you help someone that's for sure.

[daisya]

Oh headwreck that is so incredibly sad and to not have answers must be difficult to endure, I can't imagine what you must have gone through at the time or since to be honest.

[daisya]

Depression is a terrible illness which often doesn't show on the outside, it must be awful for those left behind to try and fill in the answers and know they rarely can. I have to agree it would be good to have the service as a 999 call, I guess though that it could be more open to abuse. <sad>

[tinkerbell23]

Headwreck although ive heard of the samaritans i dont think it crosses minds to call them? Mabye what you are doing would be very helpfull..

Im at counselling and ive never been made aware of the samaritans apart from
On here so i def think they could promote awareness!!

Awful what happened with your brother truley awful hug from me to you- a big one xx

[littleja]

NO NO YES.

[EvianBaby]

Sorry, I went to bed. Thanks everyone. I'm ok. Just that my doc and the other people she put me in touch with all said when you are feeling really bad then call samaritans. I thought it would actually help. If anything it was the opposite.

[boxtops]

evian, it might be an idea (next time you see your doc) just to say that it didn't work from you. I don't know how the Samaritans get feedback on their service, if they don't know that stuff's not working then they won't know to review it.

[maggiebee]

Headwreck, no consolation but Samaritans now have a freephone number and we also take reversed charge calls. I always carry Samaritan cards with me and leave little piles where I think people will sit and perhaps pick one up.

[Flyhalf]

I took the training course, and was confined to listening in for a while. What I couldn't handle were the regular callers, who rang 2, 3 or more times a week, where you simply went over the same ground time after time, but never making any progress. I also found it difficult to maintain the necessary detachment, staying neutral but allowing the clients to find their own solutions, where (I admit, in the absence of the full facts) I felt there was a course I could steer them into.
On the whole I'd say they do a good job, and one few of us could undertake successfully.
How far do you take publicity/advertising in this area? I doubt many people in the UK are entirely unaware of their existence, but bringing the phone nos. to more prominence would be no bad thing.

[andy-hughes]

I was a volunteer for three years, but that was over twenty-three years ago, I guess things have moved on in some ways, good and bad.

I found my time there very satisfying, I gave it up when our youngest daughter was born, and plan to return eventually, when circumstnces permit.

The ethos in my time was to avoid giving direct advice of the "If I were you I would ..." sort, but to help the caler explore their options and hopefully guide them towards reaching a solution - where possible - for themselves.

Volunteers, like Callers, come in all shapes and sizes, some utterly perfect of the role, others utterly useless, but such is the way with all voluntary services like this.

I found my time hugely satifying, but sometimes hard to cope with, and there are Callers to whom my thoughts stray when reminded, as now, wondering how they are and if they got past their crisis.

On balance, it is a wonderful organisation, and I am sorry for anyone who had a bad experience after contacting them - it is such a lottery, whom you get when you call or visit.

[netibiza]

I asked them for help in 1971 with domestic abuse but unfortunately they weren't a lot of use in those days, just suggested I get to stay with an aunt or something. but I donj't think there were womens shelters in those days. Luckily my mum (bless her) stepped in and brought me over to Ibiza!

[atalanta]

I rang them once, in tears, because my mother was dying. I couldn't say anything, I was crying so much. The person at the other end wouldn't say anything. I hung on, crying, for several minutes, and got nothing. I hung up. Is that really what they are trained to do ?
Later, I offered to join them as a volunteer. They said they badly wanted volunteers, but would only offer me the training on an evening when I had an evening class somewhere else. They said there was no flexibility inthe training, however badly they needed help.

[vivandorron]

Hi EB...I haven't yet read all the responses to your question but my reply is identical to your first respondent.(bednobs).....Yes..No...No.

If Viv reads this, I could be looking to AB for advice to keep our marriage intact, because, prior to our marriage, she was a Sam and may not approve of my disclosing the fact. I have mentioned the thread to her and she doesn't wish to become involved but she did say something which I felt was very realistic...." AnswerBank didn't exist when I was a Samaritan."

Ron.