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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 22 of 22. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Gabbi on July 11, 2002, at 0:01:46
Please don't anyone think I'm making light of suicide, I've attempted it three times. But I still find this absurdly comical now that I'm feeling a bit better.
I called our local suicide hotline about a month ago and they actually answered with "Suicide Hotline how may I help you?"
Oh gee....could ya bring me a bottle of cyanide please? What were they thinking.....
Posted by Bookgurl99 on July 11, 2002, at 8:19:54
In reply to Suicide hotline should change their response....., posted by Gabbi on July 11, 2002, at 0:01:46
>
> I called our local suicide hotline about a month ago and they actually answered with "Suicide Hotline how may I help you?"
> Oh gee....could ya bring me a bottle of cyanide please? What were they thinking....."please hold. your call will be answered in the order in which it was received."
or
"yeah, I'd like to order a suicide for delivery. . . "
Posted by Susang on July 11, 2002, at 8:48:59
In reply to Suicide hotline should change their response....., posted by Gabbi on July 11, 2002, at 0:01:46
I DID call a suicide hotline not long ago and was immediately put on hold.......
I thought that only happened in jokes....
Posted by Mr Beev on July 11, 2002, at 10:37:18
In reply to Re: Suicide hotline should change their response....., posted by Susang on July 11, 2002, at 8:48:59
> I DID call a suicide hotline not long ago and was immediately put on hold.......
>
> I thought that only happened in jokes....That happened to me once. I also had severe carpal tunnel syndrome at the time, so I asked the woman if I might put her on the speakerphone because it was so painful to hold the receiver. She said she'd hang up on me if I did so!
Then, after hearing me out (on why I called) she said, "Sorry, can't help you. There's nothing we can do." Then she offerred to transfer me to a number of a psychiatric hospital. She transferred me to the wrong number.
Moral: I shan't place any faith any more in so-called suicide hotlines!
Regards,
Mr Beev
Posted by Gracie2 on July 11, 2002, at 12:09:22
In reply to Re: Suicide hotline should change their response....., posted by Mr Beev on July 11, 2002, at 10:37:18
Anyone who is prone to severe depression and suicidal tendencies should, during their lucid moments, gather the phone numbers of available help such as a suicide hotline, maybe a doctor or therapist, if they would allow it.A couple of years ago, about 4:00 in the morning, I decided I would probably harm myself if I didn't have someone to talk to about how I could be helped. I was much too distraught to go through the phone book looking for telephone numbers, so I called the operator and asked her for the number to a suicide hotline. Instead of connecting me, she started talking to me, and it did not occur to me what she was really doing.
She asked me if I had decided how to kill myself and I stupidly replied, "It wouldn't be hard, we have a loaded gun right in the bedroom." (I could still bang my head on the wall when I think about this.) A minute later, I could hear someone pounding up the porch stairs. They started to beat on the door quite loudly and woke up everybody in the house. I said to the operator, "Thanks a lot," and hung up. Of course, it was the police, with the fire department EMS.
I was mortified. They wouldn't let me get my purse
or talk to my husband or anything, they hustled me into the ambulance and we drove away.Really, all I had wanted was someone to talk to.
I guess I got that!
-Gracie
Posted by Bookgurl99 on July 11, 2002, at 16:03:32
In reply to Just a warning...., posted by Gracie2 on July 11, 2002, at 12:09:22
Posted by Gracie2 on July 11, 2002, at 17:32:39
In reply to Just a warning...., posted by Gracie2 on July 11, 2002, at 12:09:22
Posted by hrtlm on July 11, 2002, at 20:33:13
In reply to Just a warning...., posted by Gracie2 on July 11, 2002, at 12:09:22
Posted by JohnDoenut on July 11, 2002, at 23:36:19
In reply to Just a warning...., posted by Gracie2 on July 11, 2002, at 12:09:22
My response to the intial post is they should answer with: Dont do it!
I dont know who they allow to man the phones. I remember in college a friend of mine was a psych major and she did it. Then there was another guy I knew who seemed "normal" and did it. I figured that I was too messed up to do anything like that. Now I think that its the other messed up people that should be manning the phone cause they can relate and maybe help. I think at some point I would like to volunteer. Has anyone thought about trying it?
Anyway as far as the operator calling the police, I dont know. I dont understand a society that on the one hand doesnt seem to give a damn about people yet then try to stop them from killing themself. Why? To release them back into the wild? A society that has massive medical establishment beurocracy that makes it difficult for people to get proper help in a timely manner when they need it yet when its life or death they suddenly move into action. All those episodes of ER are plain bunk!!! I feel sometimes like we are living in the dark ages. That for all our so called medical and technological advances, in 500 years from now theyll look back in all this as so primitive.
Im not in a good mood now anyway if I sound it.JohnD
Posted by terra miller on July 12, 2002, at 0:06:47
In reply to Just a warning...., posted by Gracie2 on July 11, 2002, at 12:09:22
i don't think treating someone without dignity is justifiable.
the advice is good to have lists/plans when you are in a better frame of mind.
thankfully i had a totally different response when i didn't know who to call and thumbed through the phonebook. i found a national number, and they referred me to a local number and people who not only listened but offered practical assistance without freaking out that they were solely responsible for my life; they gave me options and listened and knew that i was the one responsible for my life.
Posted by Fi on July 12, 2002, at 7:58:08
In reply to Suicide hotline should change their response....., posted by Gabbi on July 11, 2002, at 0:01:46
I've called the Samaritans a few times over the years. One thing I hadnt anticipated was that it was difficult to get thru on a couple of them- had to ring several times. Tho that was before they got their national phone service- dont know what its like now.
They were good listeners, tho they varied (one seemed to be keen to encourage me to have a cup of tea and a chat- particularly stressing the tea!) One was really great, and completely defused my feeling of tension and made me feel understood and supported.
I'm posting as I want people to know they can be helpful, tho from the other posts here obviously not always! They also have more training than a phone operator, and (the Samaritans at least) would not call in the cavalry without your consent. Tho I realise this is controversial in itself.
There are links to them (they do email enquiries too) and other hotlines/helplines in the coping with crisis tips at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/psycho-babble-tips/links/Coping_with_crisis_001012507973
Fi
Posted by Gabbi on July 12, 2002, at 13:47:57
In reply to Re: Suicide hotline should change their response....., posted by Fi on July 12, 2002, at 7:58:08
I'm not even in a particularly bad mood, but I find 90% of the "help".. is equivilent to I don't know....about as far reaching as those Greeter Guys they have at Wal-Mart asking how you are. This is not to say I don't think the people on the "front lines" don't care, I think a lot of them do, but they can only use what's available. And the Government "caring' is so freakily Orwellian.
Oh and as I'm on a rant....again the fact I'm sure they "mean well" they just don't GET IT
I hate calling those crisis lines and they use that "mirror technique" where basically they just repeat what you say in question form. So If you go "I'm feeling hopeless and desperate" They respond with "what I'm hearing you say is you're feeling hopeless and desperate" I'm never rude, but God I end up feeling like more of a loser cause I'm so desperate I actually had to listen to that...I mean I'm depressed not stupid.And back to your message Johndoenut? (is that right?) The only two people who've actually made me feel better were both people who'd made the trip to hell and back a few times, and both who were hotline workers said they were breaking the rules by telling me they'd been there in enough detail that I knew they actually HAD, and not only survived but found pleasure in things again. I hope they still have their jobs.
Oh and One more thing.... One of the battered Women's assistance lines in B.C. (its not a hotline) has an after hours automated response that says "Thank-you for calling" I dunno maybe its just me but I thought that was a little weird.
Posted by Gracie2 on July 12, 2002, at 18:13:50
In reply to Re: Just a warning...., posted by JohnDoenut on July 11, 2002, at 23:36:19
Actually the operator said something like, "Are you having thoughts of killing yourself right now?" and I distinctly remember telling her no, but that I did need someone to talk to because I needed help. Then she said, "If you did plan on killing yourself, how would you do it?" and that's when I mentioned the gun. If I had not mentioned owning a firearm, I don't know if she would have called the police.
Now, as a result of her actions:
1.) I put my husband into an embarrassing situation, as the EMS squad that accompanied the police are part of the city fire department, and my husband is a firefighter for this same department. To my husband's credit, he never acted or said he felt ashamed, but I was.
2.) I was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward. They told me if I attempted to leave AMA, they would request a court order to keep me as I was obviously a danger to myself. Since I worked at a doctor's office at the time, I had no choice but to call my employer and explain that I was being committed for an indefinate period. If I had lied about the reason for my sudden absence, I know they would have found out. I felt so strange after I returned to work, knowing everyone there knew about my situation, I quit my job shortly afterwards.
3.) Having been committed to a mental institution,
I can no longer legally purchase a firearm. That's okay. Now all the guns in the house are locked up where I can't get at them. I guess that's okay too.All that from one phone call! And the phone call was made to the police after two questions!
Something to think about...
-Gracie
Posted by Gabbi on July 12, 2002, at 22:24:50
In reply to Calling the police overreaction?, posted by Gracie2 on July 12, 2002, at 18:13:50
Helpline... well guess they didn't specify what they would help you with, hey let us help ruin your life! God, what a horrible story and to think you were feeling desperate *before* you called them. I really admire you for getting through the after effects alone.
When I called 911 because my boyfriend was "abusing" to put it mildly, with a baseball bat and then tried to strangle me. The police came to my door 3 of them, including a *woman*, My boyfriend said "oh her medication makes her hysterical" (referring to a bruised and bleeding me complete with torn clothing)
And his "punishment" was being told to go for a walk and cool off.. like a line right out of a bad movie. No psych ward or job loss for him... I'm at a loss for words, and that doesn't happen very often.
Posted by bookgurl99 on July 13, 2002, at 0:44:59
In reply to Re: Just a warning...., posted by JohnDoenut on July 11, 2002, at 23:36:19
>>I dont understand a society that on the one hand doesnt seem to give a damn about people yet then try to stop them from killing themself. A society that has massive medical establishment beurocracy that makes it difficult for people to get proper help in a timely manner when they need it yet when its life or death they suddenly move into action. All those episodes of ER are plain bunk!!! I feel sometimes like we are living in the dark ages.
I completely agree with you. In the U.S. we call ourselves a 'developed' country, yet we allow so much unecessary suffering. Those against subsidized medical care pound their chests and say that we have more 'choice,' arguing that we have -- for example -- more MRIs per population than Canada does. Yet so many of us can't get care unless a company with primarily financial interests 'approves' of the procedure. Ridiculous!I've been experiencing that with my severe memory problems in the last 4 mos; it's what will insurance pay for first and then help me heal 2nd. I've thought that I wish I had something more clear -- like cancer or a heart condition; they care only if they can see you dying in the moment. Meanwhile, we let people die a slow death from untreated chronic illness every day.
Posted by bookgurl99 on July 13, 2002, at 0:56:12
In reply to Re: Calling the police overreaction?, posted by Gabbi on July 12, 2002, at 22:24:50
> >My boyfriend said "oh her medication makes her hysterical" (referring to a bruised and bleeding me complete with torn clothing)
> And his "punishment" was being told to go for a walk and cool off.. like a line right out of a bad movie. No psych ward or job loss for him... I'm at a loss for words, and that doesn't happen very often.
This really p***es me off. There is so much ignorance out there about mental illness. EVERYONE has some mental illness, yet only those of us who choose to get help for it are slapped with the 'psycho' label. Then it's used against us over and over again as the legitimacy of our experience is denied.Then a movie like _A Beautiful Mind_ comes out, and some people think all mental illness can be treated with sheer willpower.
I don't really have a point, but I wish people weren't so ignorant and afraid of themselves. If people knew how many folks struggle with these issues, and how 'normal' we all are in the outside world, they'd have to ask themselves why they think they're 'sane.' And they'd -- maybe? -- take our experiences a little more seriously.
Posted by Gabbi on July 13, 2002, at 1:20:41
In reply to Re: Calling the police overreaction?, posted by Gabbi on July 12, 2002, at 22:24:50
Ya know I thought I was the only one who cringed after that movie.. though I believe in the story being told..if its accurate.
I watched that movie with my Mom and thought "uh oh.... I'm in for it now..."Well see what you can do if you put your mind to it"..And thats exactly what happened. And I'm sure its happening all over.
Why not tell all people with Alzheimers if you wanted to, you really could remember your own family..
Posted by tabitha on July 13, 2002, at 2:11:18
In reply to Re: Calling the police overreaction?, posted by bookgurl99 on July 13, 2002, at 0:56:12
>
> This really p***es me off. There is so much ignorance out there about mental illness. EVERYONE has some mental illness, yet only those of us who choose to get help for it are slapped with the 'psycho' label. Then it's used against us over and over again as the legitimacy of our experience is denied.
>
> Then a movie like _A Beautiful Mind_ comes out, and some people think all mental illness can be treated with sheer willpower.You Go, Bookgurl!
Posted by tabitha on July 13, 2002, at 2:13:14
In reply to Re: Beautiful mind » Gabbi, posted by Gabbi on July 13, 2002, at 1:20:41
> Why not tell all people with Alzheimers if you wanted to, you really could remember your own family..
Thanks! I'm going to use this one if you don't mind.
Posted by Gabbi on July 13, 2002, at 14:13:25
In reply to Re: Beautiful mind » Gabbi, posted by tabitha on July 13, 2002, at 2:13:14
"Oh Granny we all have days where we forget things, get over yourself!"
Posted by Gabbi on July 13, 2002, at 15:23:44
In reply to Re: Suicide hotline should change their response....., posted by Mr Beev on July 11, 2002, at 10:37:18
Hey Mr. Beev
What is up with that... Its the same ideology behind the favorite parental admonition "quit cryin or I'll give you something to cry about"
Posted by tabitha on July 13, 2002, at 17:02:54
In reply to Feel Free Tabitha. , posted by Gabbi on July 13, 2002, at 14:13:25
This is the end of the thread.
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