Samaritans Avis 

I called Samaritans after contemplating suicide. I was given short shrift and was made to feel like a naughty schoolboy with a smacked bum.

I'm 56 years old, intelligent and was made to feel like a fool. Maybe I just got the wrong person who had to hurry back to watch Corrie.

Then when I complained, I get an email from 'jo at samaritans.org' sorry, they don't allow the at sign, I should have known- an AI auto response chat box.

Dreadful experience.

If you're not willing to listen or don't have the patience to listen to people who are on the verge of taking their own lives, don't put yourself forward as a 'volunteer'.

They helped me out when I needed it and they supported me in a way that I understood and were there to listen to a big thank you

Honestly you're better off just coping with your issues yourself. Called them to talk about how stressed I am with everything going on in my life, how I felt trapped between two difficult choices. Guy kept asking me the same question, which only escalated my distress.

My best friend used them during a really difficult experience and was told after 25 minutes I have to go, this is ridiculous and she felt worse after reaching out, hold your heads in shame

I called yesterday as I was feeling really low and upset and needed someone to talk to. The volunteer I spoke with appeared disinterested throughout the call and showed very little empathy. It felt as though he could not be bothered continuing the conversation. It worries me to think about how someone who is feeling suicid@l might be affected if this is the level of support they receive. Volunteers who are unable to show empathy and interest, should simply not volunteer.

I'm very impressed by the outstanding listening skills of one of their team.We were in a call for almost an hour as a lit is going on in my life atm. I did not have to repeat myself to feel understood and found that he managed to organise my thoughts so I could think in a more positive way. Thank u so much R. Highly recommend.

They clearly say you can email them on their website if you're not comfortable calling. They mention it multiple times, and since I still live at home, I didn't want anyone else to hear my call, so I emailed.

Haven't gotten a reply for months.

Yes, I double checked I got the right address.

Yes, I have checked all my spam folders.

No, they really just have not replied.

That's exactly what someone who feels isolated and alone needs; to feel they're screaming for help into a void.

This company have saved my life several times now.
Tony was the name of the superhero tonight. But let me just say these guys are incredible.
They give up their free time they could use for anything else. Not for money but because they just want to make the world a little brighter. Tony. You made mine a little brighter tonight.

Much Love,
Harrison Barrett.

When you're feeling really low, listening to a phone ring for 10 minutes without an answer isn't helpful. Neither is being told to call back because they are too busy to take your call.

Dreadful experience. The person on the phone. Understood nothing. Condescending. Demeaning. If any of these people visited deprived towns. Then they MAY have some insight. I should have taken notice of the other reviews. And published samaritans scandals

I had never called Samaritans before. On Saturday I realised I was carrying everyone’s emotional baggage. My marriage was ending, I was struggling to help my son with chronic illness. I was dealing with a lot of health issues myself but trying to get through Christmas without collapsing. I have absolutely no support network. I was in a very dark place. The call would have been great in a black comedy. I explained through sobbing that I didn’t feel I could cope anymore with all the weight on me. He made some sympathetic noises, expressed surprise at never having heard the health condition my son suffers from. Then I sensed it was all very much too complex for him to deal with and he said “well, do you think you could get through Christmas and give everyone a nice time”. That was sobering and I realised that no one was coming to save me so I better try to do it myself. There is no shame in being in a state of collapse but have no expectations that the person on the end of the line will be able to pick you up. I realisation that you’re better equipped to do that for yourself wasn’t, on reflection, a bad thing. However, it’s shocking that some people will have spiral too far to be able to do this.

I think it is discussing that the samaritans are sending chrismas shoe box's to other countries that don't sellabrate christmas. HAVE THEY THOUGHT OF UK CHILDREN FIRST THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT CHARITY BEGINS IN GREAT BRITAIN FIRST

I don't see the point of it, no suloutions, trying to steer you toward skydaddy-a waste of my time and theirs. It might work for other people.

Feeling down? Call Samaritans, a sure fire way to be made to feel guilty and shame about your mental health, the best way to make your miserable life even more unbearable.

Guy was clearly uninterested and relying on his PowerPoint training to “listen”

But then I’m tempted to give 5 stars, because I hung up and called one of my best friends and had one of the greatest conversations of my life… so is it intentional?

Anyways, what I’m saying is… if you have someone you can chat with - open up to them. It’ll be less scary than you think.

I called the Samaritans today, with a lot of distressing issues. I felt the woman judged me. In the end she said I was like a washing machine going round and round and said she had to end the call. She offered me no solutions and seriously lacked empathy.
My advice to anyone feeling very distressed is talk to a good friend if you have one. If not find things in the community to join in where you have a much better chance of finding support face to face.
It saddens me, that Samaritans is a very random source of support. In the past I have talked to people who seemed to care, but after the last call, I dont think I would call them again. I honestly think it is better to find support elsewhere.

I have been blocked for 6 months now. I rang Samaritans back then, they were very intolerant. Was going through a very difficult time. Still need to be able to call them. Rang the Support Team many many times got the voicemail, left a message. They never got back to me. Am left stranded.

I spent 30min of sharing my deepest darkest problems, completely exposed... Hoping to get a nudge in the right direction. Just to be asked is there anything else? I feel no difference before to after the call? Would prefer my 30min back tbh.

I’ve been in a desperate situation for some time and I hit Rick bottom on Friday just gone. It was awful, absolutely terrible and thank goodness I wasn’t suicidal because after that experience I would have been.
I understand that mental illness is now a massive problem within the U.K. but if the Samaritans can’t find the proper and right people to answer the phones then honestly don’t bother. The person I spoke to was terrible, he was reading from a script, no empathy, no comprehension, zero compassion and was robotic. I hung up, he was so bloody awful and far too much background noise. How embarrassing for an organisation that advertises its call to help vulnerable people. JOKE 😢