If someone were having mental issues and were seriously contemplating something like suicide or killing someone would they have any place to turn if they really simply wanted someone to talk to?
I’d caution anyone already “on edge” about soliciting help from the troll-infested internets.
There’s suicide hotlines that are readily found that you can either use with a phone or online chat. Dunno about “murder hotlines” though. In any event, the level of help you’ll get will likely be proportional to what you pay for it.
I know people who have worked at suicide hotlines and I have a pretty high opinion of their capabilities overall. They have stories about staying with people for hours until the immediate crisis was resolved, and stories about repeat callers. However, a hotline is not the place for deep or ongoing therapy; suggestions about local mental health resources are part of the standard advice. (We might compare the hotline to an ER - you’re getting competent treatment, but the focus is different than a scheduled appointment with a doctor.)
Thanks for the clarification. I was clumsy about making the distinction between bandaiding the immediate concern v. longer term solutions.
Just ring a suicide hotline, that’s what I did when I was getting unhealthily obsessed with blowing up my university(I had a bad reaction to my prescribed meds, that’s why I am 100% drug free now).
They won’t hang up on someone who needs help.
Thanks for the perfect site recommendation. And I didn’t kill anybody in your immediate family.