Has Anyone Been Helped By A Crisis Line/chat?

[EmmaOwl]

Just curious. I'm not actively suicidal so I feel like I'd be committing some kind of fraud if I was to call or go online and use up someone's time.

 

[Mim28]

You don't have to be suicidal to call. If you feel you are in crisis, that is what they are here for. When I was at my worst and was waiting to see a doctor and therapist, I reached out to EAP, and hotlines. they are there to listen. Find your local numbers and if you feel you need to call, do it. you are not being a fraud. it's a resource available to all and you are important. Hugs

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

Just curious. I'm not actively suicidal so I feel like I'd be committing some kind of fraud if I was t...

Yes, I have many times, and you don't have to be suicidal to call them, it's about prevention, so if you have the need to talk about something that troubling you it's ok to call them, but using a hotline should not be abused. Especially important to call them if you struggling with S/H or S/I or need some to give you another view to check your thinking.

 

[EmmaOwl]

@recoveringfromptsd Thanks. I see what you mean about not abusing such a line - like, it's not for if you're bored or just lonely. S/H had not occurred to me as something to discuss, that a service would be willing and able to help with that.

And @Mim28 hugs accepted - this time anyway :D Thank you
That is sort of where I am, I REALLY need to be seeing a therapist, but that's not happening for a while. I'm trying to wait it out, gritting my teeth (literally, from all the tension!), but maybe I should get up a list of numbers and websites ahead of time. Just in case.

Thank you both, so much. I'm in some sort of strange middle right now. bipolar playing havoc with me, and I really need to figure out where I'm heading. 'Cause right now I'll explode.

 

[Mim28]

Get a list together and ask to be on a cancellation list. Once you've found one you like you can cancel your other appointments. You will have taken the first step.

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

That is sort of where I am, I REALLY need to be seeing a therapist

It would be very appropriate to use a hotline to help you sort your thoughts on the therapy issue, after all hotlines are about prevention and mitigation of crisis and suicide and that falls in that category,

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

I'm in some sort of strange middle right now. bipolar playing havoc with me

I can relate to that, having had 2 very bad bi-polar episodes last year myself.

 

[EmmaOwl]

Thanks for this, everyone's comments really made me think of crisis and hotlines in a different way than I had before. And thanks for all the encouragement!

I do have a therapist that I like quite a lot - but it's been a long time and we don't have any specific appointments set up, yet. The holidays, and now catching up, everything seems to be moving slower - which is part of the problem, making me anxious. The time moving like molasses. And I know this is a bizarre thought, but sometimes I wish my life would hurry up!

 

[EmmaOwl]

UPDATE:
This past week has been particular bad, nightmare wise-, and being awake, all alone, flashbacks, all this, it's real suffering because I become terrified of falling asleep.... So I got to that point earlier this week, and I logged into chat hotline... I had one bad experience...well, someone who - I know that they have a script to follow, but this guy didn't deviate even a tiny little bit. I told him I was absolutely exhausted, but afraid to go to sleep due to nightmares... He basically said, "What calms you down during the day? Do THAT."

I gave it another chance last night. I was terrified, with a racing heart, while being exhausted. Keeping all the lights on, etc. But I spoke to someone very nice and he calmed me down and actually - well I'm sure he saw my typing get worse, and I am sure that I became less and less coherent... but I didn't feel rushed or pushed me out at all. He ended up asking me what I'd do at the end of the chat. I said, "I'll turn off my computer, which keeps me awake, and try to sleep."

And I did! I feel like crap I still didn't get the sleep I need, but that goes in cycles. I know I had a better chunk of time sleeping very early this morning.

So, mixed experiences. I'm really glad I posted this and gave this a try. I had not understood how this would work when I wasn't actively suicidal.... but it was a matter of asking for help in adjusting to some of my fears that were pretty close to unbearable. And later, my therapist said he was glad that I found a way to connect in realtime with another person instead of sitting and shaking and wondering how I'll make it through another night. And he was glad I had this board where people understand that, too.

PS The first guy had never heard of anything called "Little House on the Prairie". Not the tv or the books. Is that weird? Or am I old? I think kids still read those books! My niece did. Is it a girl thing?