Depression hotlines also known as suicide hotlines are a great way to help treat those who have depression. Depression hotlines are a good starting point for those who know they need help for their depression or if they are experiencing suicidal thoughts, or feel like attempting suicide.
Depression hotlines and suicide prevention hotlines are designed to help those who are facing difficulties with depression and don’t know where to begin seeking treatment. Depression hotlines are often set up with trained counselors ready at a phone call center that are ready to take your call. The majority of these depression hotlines are available any time leaving you with the ability to call anytime during the day or at night. The counselors will spend as much time as necessary with you to help you go through what you are facing in life. Depression can be extremely lonely leaving those who suffer with the feeling that they have no one to talk to or no one to go to to help them get through their struggles. The counselors at depression hotlines are trained counselors and are often volunteers who have gone through similar experiences themselves and now want to help others.
When to call:
For those who think they might be suffering from depression. Here are some of the warning signs to look for: fatigue, stressed, difficulty sleeping, lack of motivation or energy, weight loss or weight gain, thoughts of self mutilation like cutting or burning, thoughts of suicide. Once you know you are suffering from depression and might be heading toward more serious thoughts of suicide and self harm, it is without a doubt time to call a depression hotline for help. A depression hotline is a great option for those who are not yet comfortable with the idea of therapy but want a way they can get out their emotions to someone who is trained to listen. You are always able to call a support center more than once. Remember that most operators at a depression hotline want to be there since they are volunteering and many have even been through the experience themselves so they understand where you are coming from.
Depression hotlines via e-mail:
There are some resources for those who may be nervous about making an actual call. Some depression hotlines also offer an e-mail service. With the e-mail service, you can email in your thoughts, concerns and questions for advice. A trained professional will generally e-mail you back within a certain time frame as specified on the website. However, it is important to understand that the e-mail version of the depression hotline may not be as secure of a method of communication. It is also not a good resource for non-urgent situations since they may be unable to get back to you right away.
Why call a depression hotline:
Depression hotlines are a great resource for anyone going through a tough time and needs an ear to lean on. Sometimes people might be hesitant to tell their friends and loved ones about all of the problems you are dealing with because you don’t want them to think you are weak or you don’t want them to be upset for you. Sometimes the problems you are trying to manage may be about them and you don’t want them to know. This is when a depression hotline is a great place to turn to for help. Any age of person can call a depression hotline. In fact, there are some hotlines that are specific for teens, postpartum depression, sexuality issues and more. In many situations if you call a local depression hotline you may be given advice on treatment options or information on local counselors where you can get further assistance. Many emergency suicide hotlines have operators that are trained to help people through other types of emergencies like attempted suicide, drug overdose and psychotic episodes. You can often find numbers for depression hotlines in local listings like the phone book, online or by calling information. If you have regular episodes of serious depression, it is a good idea to keep that number somewhere handy in case you experience an emergency situation so you can get help quickly.
Sources: spsfv.org/hotlines.htm, addiction.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Depression_Hotlines