You know this is a really good topic. Where I live there is an 800 line but it redirects you to an area agency (dont think there is one in my city and closest is 80 miles away). I dont know how many people they have during any given shift to take these calls. Days after my trauma, and in the thick of symptoms, I was waking up during the night in panic and sweats. My daughter would find me in the morning with a bottle of xanax and pain pills spilled. I guess in these nightmares, I never completely awoke, but was inclined to medicate and try to sleep more. My daughter was panicked about this, so I put the meds away from my bed and the hotline number on my night stand. This kind of forced me to wake myself up from these horrors, drink some water, and sit with the night terror. If needed, which was a couple of times, I called the hotline. Even though I was not diagnosed with ptsd, and no counselor ever giggled, I remember a couple of really bad experience.
Actually, I cant remember the full details of the experience at all, all I can really remember is that quickly in the conversation I felt blamed. It could have been my state as well-since I cant completely remember. What I do recall is that since the circumstances of my recent trauma, being assaulted by a cop, seemed to elicit a more blaming attitude from the counselor or counselor on duty.I vaguely recall questions such as-"what caused the cop too.....what did you do to be accused.....why did you not follow the officers direction......were you on drugs......what would you have done differently...." It was more of an interview. Really made me feel that nobody understood what I was going through or ever would, like I would never obtain any comfort or help to help me to deal with the severe symptoms at the time and more hopeless than ever.
There are some really good people on these hotlines. I have talked to one woman a few times, who has shared that she is a single mother and raises her one daughter with good lesson. She has shared this because I have used the hotline for my awful feelings about my adult daughter treating me so awful. She has helped me to see how much I have spoiled my daughter, how I need to stand up and take back control, and to validate that the things that my daughter does is way over the line.
I think they should have a place that you can write annonymously or not if you chose, but to express the quality of services that you receive. My understanding is that while some are volunteers, others funded, or getting credit for internships for college. It is wonderful that these people care enough to stay up through the night and take these calls, but they also have potential to cause harm.
Actually, I cant remember the full details of the experience at all, all I can really remember is that quickly in the conversation I felt blamed. It could have been my state as well-since I cant completely remember. What I do recall is that since the circumstances of my recent trauma, being assaulted by a cop, seemed to elicit a more blaming attitude from the counselor or counselor on duty.I vaguely recall questions such as-"what caused the cop too.....what did you do to be accused.....why did you not follow the officers direction......were you on drugs......what would you have done differently...." It was more of an interview. Really made me feel that nobody understood what I was going through or ever would, like I would never obtain any comfort or help to help me to deal with the severe symptoms at the time and more hopeless than ever.
There are some really good people on these hotlines. I have talked to one woman a few times, who has shared that she is a single mother and raises her one daughter with good lesson. She has shared this because I have used the hotline for my awful feelings about my adult daughter treating me so awful. She has helped me to see how much I have spoiled my daughter, how I need to stand up and take back control, and to validate that the things that my daughter does is way over the line.
I think they should have a place that you can write annonymously or not if you chose, but to express the quality of services that you receive. My understanding is that while some are volunteers, others funded, or getting credit for internships for college. It is wonderful that these people care enough to stay up through the night and take these calls, but they also have potential to cause harm.
