post help: What do you think about suicidal posts being directed to a professional counseling website free of charge? - Help.com

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I don’t know about anyone else, but personally, I think that would be a great idea.
♥

Are there any such websites?

You are very welcome.

There are times when a suicidal post is up and no one is around to help. Or they get responses like, “Get over yourself.” Or sometimes there are too many at once. Sometimes the “helpers” who have been most instrumental in keeping someone alive have to go to work or simply have to go offline. I doubt a professional counselor would give us high marks for appropriate advice.

But a lot of suicidal posters need to be talked into seeing a professional. They feel safe here. And it’s not unusual for the people doing the helping to have been suicidal themselves in the recent past. That ability to relate on such a personal level is very compelling.

I would love it if a pro was ONLINE WITH US, or could be INVITED to the post, to make the transition to a counseling phone call.

An automatic redirection would send a lot of posters to a suicide prevention site or hotline, who are not suicidal.. including this post.

I think there are sites in which people can get online counseling…many of the suicidal posters really need to be told that they are not the only ones to feel like this. I am amazed at how many times someone can share their own experience directly to the person posting and let them know it gets better with a first person perspective…

It would be nice if there were professional therapists volunteering to answer these posts…but offering the boystown website or the befrienders website to posters gives them the option of contacting a trained counselor anonymously…

You’re too kind. But I have been on a lot of suicidal posts over the last several months, and it would be nice to have back-up. I’ll bet there’s a non-profit that would gladly take the challenge. Some of those hotline psychologists must die of boredom between calls. And if the suicidal person is not anon or new to help.com, the counselor would have some background info to go in the person’s profile.

**to go on**

No.

Just No.

Helpbot falsely assumes posts to be about suicide when it is unrelated. Imagine how much it would suck to be redirected because you use “die” while talking about dice or something.

sansceriph wrote:
You’re too kind. But I have been on a lot of suicidal posts over the last several months, and it would be nice to have back-up. I’ll bet there’s a non-profit that would gladly take the challenge. Some of those hotline psychologists must die of boredom between calls. And if the suicidal person is not anon or new to help.com, the counselor would have some background info to go in the person’s profile.

I like this idea. Does anyone know of a non-profit that we could contact?

A live professional?

What, you mean hire a person just to sit here all day waiting to redirect suicidals to counciling? A lot of suicidal people come to the site not wanting councilling, they’d balk being directed to it automatically. It is better for them to get help from normal people so they won’t be spooked away immediately.

Commander Ikari wrote:
Helpbot falsely assumes posts to be about suicide when it is unrelated. Imagine how much it would suck to be redirected because you use “die” while talking about dice or something.

Ikari, I pointed out that any post with “kill” or “die” in it would be redirected. I think now the topic isn’t so much about an automatic redirect, but having a professional counseling site/hotline available when invited and/or participating, kind of like a mod.

shakey, sorry if my replies seem stupid, but I am not at all sure what you are proposing. Can you list it out exactly?

Oh.

Well than Good Idea!

Except, would help.com pay for him to help?

Also, would this lead to an aristocracy of “experts” on this site, pushing normal users aside?

I think this will need to be discussed by a lot of us, and of course by the mods and Yousef. There are many ways to bring professionals to a post, from having one or more non-profit organizations participate constantly, to having the mods have one on IM, to having all help.com members have the professional automatically in their friends list, so anyone could invite them.

I doubt that many people click on the link provided by helpbot. They want to talk to a real person, and they may not be open to speaking with a pro.

Helpbot currently redirects to here http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline….. That site says they are on myspace.com and help.com, and they give this profile http://help.com/user/70825-lifeline.

Commander Ikari wrote:
would help.com pay for him to help?

I can’t imagine that help.com pays the above site. There are lots of organizations that deal with suicide prevention, and would I think welcome the chance to help. We might even get more than one involved. A boystown/girlstown charity can’t be expected to help with a 50-something factory worker who has lost his or her job. But the trade unions probably have an office or cite specifically for that purpose.

site

Boystown is there for parents, children and families. Befrienders has worldwide hotlines and are associated with the Samaritans also offering worldwide hotlines.

If a poster has a location posted, I try to find a more local resource for them. Directing users to the nami.org site can allow them to locate a live therapist nearby…

I agree with many people posting here that hearing from peers can allow them to feel okay about seeking the help of a professional. I have no problem letting a poster know that we are not professional counselors here and that each of us found this site while seeking some sort of help in our own lives. I think it really IS reassuring to the person feeling so low…

I think it would great if there was a link we could click on, when someone is in danger, and we feel we have done all we can.

I know that there is new law out that is causing people to prove their address somehow, after the case of the woman that acted like a young girl, and actually caused the young girl to commit suicide.

I know that Aol, has asked for my private info, and a credit card to prove, who I am, and where I am. I have not yet responded, because they are asking for a lot of stuff that I really don’t want to give them, they said my acct. would be suspended after 24 hours, but, it hasn’t happened yet.

Bottom line, having a way to trace a call, would be a very good thing. So that the proper authorities could be notified, in certain cases.

Also, if it were possible to have a professional that could be invited into a post, that we feel we are not getting anywhere with, would be very good.

At the very least, perhaps a professional could come on and make a post, telling us how to respond. We could keep that handy to refer to, as well as to share it with anyone in need. If we could interact with them, we could ask many questions, and all would be recorded on the post, for future reference.

And just as a note of reference, since I have been here, I have seen two posts, that really concerned me, for the welfare of another, or many other people. In a case like this, it is altogether possible to copy the link at the top of the page, and report this to proper authorities. It is also good to alert a mod.in a situation like this, they may be able to report it also.

Shakey, your a genius! I know some of us try our best. We simply are not qualified in such a serious matter. I mean with all respect. We really care, some make shouts to check up on them, reminding them they are not forgotten, revisiting posts and keeping them talking, staying up late I’ve seen Sansceriph do, I butted out cause he was really connecting. I’ve teamed up with another user and we spelled each other and really tried. I feel like I can really only help with one or two, cause Im only me and really do keep leaving good mornings, and can we talk, and help draw them out.
But I do know my limitations. I would love to be human and help get them away from the danger zone and to someone trained to deal with a person in such a tenuous state. But I do need to get away from it too. It is draining and I can find it affecting my day. I think about them. I don’t obsess, but I by nature and humorous and I simply can’t hang in the dark land. We get burned out.

There are a lot of great personalities here, Richard, Babacup, Serenity, Shi, Cattail, Lillies, BrighterBlessings, Chev James, Sansceriph, oh I love you all, please forgive the fraction of mentions here, so many. My point is these people could draw them with the wonderful human trust and understanding and could get them calmed down and safely into the help of someone that can do more than us. Save their lives and give them the help they need.

2greeneyes wrote:
There are a lot of great personalities here, Richard, Babacup, Serenity, Shi, Cattail, Lillies, BrighterBlessings, Chev James, Sansceriph, oh I love you all, please forgive the fraction of mentions here, so many. My point is these people could draw them with the wonderful human trust and understanding and could get them calmed down and safely into the help of someone that can do more than us. Save their lives and give them the help they need.

I feel so honored being on your list.

Sorry guys,
Late dinner. Sinus and ear infection. Really Shakey, hats off to you. Babacup your heart is pure gold. So many not mentioned.
LOL I feel like I sound like an actor thanking all the directors. LOL

I gladly hand it to you Shakey, excellent idea. I feel a sense of relief. These people really need special concern. You brought up what a lot of us feel. I feel bad for these people. I am more than willing to do my part, but I know Im not enough.