Samaritans or something similar?

RubyGlee

Could someone explain what the Samaritans do? Is it only for people who are depressed? Let's say someone wasn't suicidal but jus got a little anxious and irrational usually at night time would there be another service they could ring just to talk to so they could calm down as such. Kind of like it's ok no one is in your house there's not rats under your bed you didn't leave the oven on you've already checked 10 times that kind of thing? Thanks in advance

rock22

Their website :- http://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you

from that site:-
"Talk to us any time you like, in your own way, and off the record – about whatever’s getting to you. You don’t have to be suicidal."

eviltwin

Samaritans are a listening service. You can talk to them about whatever is bothering you but they are non directive so they won't offer advice or anything like that. If you are feeling anxious you can of course phone them to talk it out.

They will definitely talk to you about that sort of thing! I know from experience that sometimes a chat is all you need for that sort of reassurance.

rucksack

Originally Chad Varah intended them to be for suicidal. Now anyone can call. Chad Varah distanced himself from them " He announced in 2004 that, "It's no longer what I founded. I founded an organisation to offer help to suicidal or equally desperate people. The last elected Chairman re-branded the organisation. It was no longer to be an emergency service. It was to be an emotional support" from wiki

In my opinion it is because there are now so many organisations for sucide . i have been told they limit callers to one hour which makes me wonder at they trying to up their statistics....

Sunny Disposition

It's not correct that calls are limited to an hour. They are open to calls from people who aren't suicidal.

eviltwin

rucksack wrote: »

In my opinion it is because there are now so many organisations for sucide . i have been told they limit callers to one hour which makes me wonder at they trying to up their statistics....

They probably try to limit calls to an hour because beyond that its mentally exhausting for the support worker, over an hour and you become drained and have covered enough. It's not healthy to have people on the phone for a prolonged period of time.

rucksack

Sunny Disposition wrote: »

It's not correct that calls are limited to an hour.

it is i know of people told that

They are open to calls from people who aren't suicidal.

that is wht i said and why chad varah distanced himself from them

rucksack

eviltwin wrote: »

They probably try to limit calls to an hour because beyond that its mentally exhausting for the support worker, over an hour and you become drained and have covered enough. It's not healthy to have people on the phone for a prolonged period of time.

so will they not be exhausted if they take more calls?

eviltwin

rucksack wrote: »

so will they not be exhausted if they take more calls?

No cause you take a break, do your paperwork and make sure you're good to go before you go back on the phones.

Lavinia

Are these calls to them free? If anyone knows?

edit: just found they are but it seems it is from 10am to 10pm only?
http://www.samaritans.org/branches/samaritans-dublin-branch

Do I understand it right?

eviltwin

Lavinia wrote: »

Are these calls to them free? If anyone knows?

edit: just found they are but it seems it is from 10am to 10pm only?
http://www.samaritans.org/branches/samaritans-dublin-branch

Do I understand it right?

Free 24 hours a day 116 123

RubyGlee

Thank you all for replying

LegacyUser

Hi I'm a listener with the Samaritans.
Our branches open for face to face (walk in) from 10am -9pm usually but my vary from branch to branch.
Our phone number, 116 123 is free and open 24 hours. Your call is routed into a national system, so if you call from Cork you may get a listener in the Dublin branch or similar. The listener will answer and say "Samaritans, can I help you?" You will be asked to give a first name purely for conversational reasons. You can say no, make up a name or use you own first name. The listener will tell you their name and what branch you are through to if you ask.

We are a listening service, you don't have to be suicidal, many of our callers are emotionally distressed or lonely.

There is no official limit put on calls, I've been on a serious call for nearly two hours. That said eventually you end up going round in circles. Often it's better to end the call in a kind manner, and ask the person to stay in contact while they are going through this rough time. We are happy to listen to anyone in distress but don't talk about the match last night over and over as there may be another more distressed caller trying to get through.

All listeners are volunteers and go through a lot of training before they sit at the phone. We are still human.Everything is confidential to the Samaritans and we are non judgemental.
If you are in a bad place please talk to us. 116 123

Lady is a tramp

I have called Samaritans a few times, I was never suicidal but was in serious emotional distress. I found them to be very compassionate and non-judgemental. And while they don't directly give advice - you'd be amazed how much it helps to be able to discuss your problems out loud with someone instead of inside your head. They helped me make some major decisions by letting me sound out all sides of the situation myself and just listening, without attempting to sway me either way.

Plus it helps a lot if you're feeling lonely or isolated just to know that, at that moment in time, someone somewhere is thinking of you and caring for you.