SPS_volunteer_AMA

The police are a fairly common concern, and I've gotten into tense situations with some callers because I had to call them, for their safety! There's no really good answer; we have to act based on the information we know about the situation, and if someone presents in immediate danger,(holding a gun and refusing to accept referrals, for example) then we're going to do what we think will keep that person safe. It can be very uncomfortable.

It can be difficult to not take your work home with you. Especially when we work in schools, and see the kind of treatment some of these kids get at home to push them to depression or suicide...it can be very hard. At the hotline we work with at least one shift partner usually, with whom we're encouraged to debrief after difficult calls. I also have a very strong support system of roommates, friends, and hobbies that keep me happy and healthy!

I'm glad to hear you've been able to use a hotline to help. I hope things get better for you. :)

I feel that I got off very easy; my first caller was a mother calling for help with her son who wasn't in immediate danger.

EDIT: I did just remember my second call. Our first three calls on the line are monitored by one of the two suicide prevention coordinators to make sure they go alright. My second call was a middle-aged woman who had a gun in her hand when she picked up the phone. The call was about 45 minutes long and had a lot of ups and downs, some very tense moments!

I'll always remember, though, that right before she got off the line she thanked me for being there. It's moments like that that really help me keep going.

This is a very difficult question and I worry I won't be able to answer it fully without giving you a huge essay, but thank you for asking!

The biggest focuses we have in prevention is knowing the signs of depression and suicide, and knowing where to go for help. We push community resources a lot - addictions counseling, suicide support groups, community homes, that sort of thing - and we also encourage individuals to access their own support systems (families, friends).

Hopefully that gives you a pretty good overview!

I'm very glad to hear that! :)

That's an incredibly brave thing for you to do, I hope your brother is doing better since.

I definitely appreciate the small things more, especially having good mental health of my own. So many people struggle with everyday tasks, even getting out of bed, and I can focus my time an energy outside of myself? Sometimes it just doesn't seem fair, and I try my hardest to be grateful.

I've always been a social butterfly, I guess you'd say, so talking to people is a strong point of mine! That's actually what you hear a lot of hotline workers say - they're the ones their friends come to for advice or to vent about their problems.