Samaritans レビュー 430

they dont reply to emails, i dotn like talking on phone. they also emply bad peopel liek my friend, who was a buly

If I could give negative stars I would. If you're having a hard time, calling the "samaritans" is a sure-fire way to make yourself feel worse. As soon as the call was answered the person on the other end sounds apathetic, and uncaring. They make it seem like your call is bothering them while they hurry through their script that guides you to hang up. This might just be one or two bad apples that I received, either way, an urgent review needs to be made into the quality and ability of their staff. Call somebody else.

Please remember the people giving their time are not medical professionals and are there to listen, not give their advice or opinions. No, they will not ask your name unless you want to give it, its a confidential safe place to express your feelings. If you need medical intervention call 111. If you want someone to feel sorry for you, call a councillor. If you are clinically mentally unstable (as I am) get advice from your doctor, but do not disparage the amazing service that these selfless people do

I really don’t understand why you would want to be in a position such as Samaritans when you clearly don’t care about anyone’s wellbeing and cause for concern.

I’m a soon to be mental health nurse and experience longstanding depression and anxiety. Due to feeling extremely low in mood all of a sudden and in complete distress I thought I would utilise a phone service to avoid stressing out my friends and family. I was feeling suicidal and really needed to hear that I’ll be okay from someone or just for someone to help me calm down.

This is the first time I’ve used this service and it’s also been recommended to patients several times. I tried to use breathing space and was hold for several minutes so I used Samaritans. Big mistake.

The minute I answered the phone this elderly lady answered and didn’t even ask for my name or anything! Her tone of voice was so unwelcoming and after voicing my thoughts she sounded as if I was bothering her? And replied to me in such a patronising tone! To the point where it even felt pointless to feel the way I’m feeling.

I’m so ashamed of this service and already don’t want to know how many vulnerable people this service could affect. Luckily I was able to take time to compose myself and escape from my state of panic, but this service was so upsetting and made me feel more distressed. Never again will I turn to Samaritans’s

Rung them constantly couldn't get through, when I did get through they put the phone down on me. I tried 10 times but to no avail.

I've just spoken, after a long wait, to a human. I'm in a very bad way. The human seemed unable to deal with my crisis and apparently hung up on me. Absolutely abysmal

Be very careful when ringing this organisation. In my honest opinion, some of the volunteers are extremely unethical and callous, so much so that they happily put the phone down on you if they don't like the subject matter that you are bringing to them, can't appreciate your distress, abjectly lack empathy, or they have feelings of prejudice towards you for whatever reason. The fact that you plucked up the courage to share very sensitive and personal information with a complete stranger, together with the fact that you have hit your lowest ebb and are vulnerable psychologically, emotionally or circumstantially, is of no concern. Sadly, there seems to be little or nothing in terms of accountability (the volunteers operate on an anonymous basis, essentially allowing them to get away with murder), training and monitoring.

Moreover, in my honest opinion, some, if not most, of volunteers don't make a reasonable effort at all, are very cold and distant, and their heart simply isn't in the job. Obviously, that is going to leave you wanting, and perhaps even more distressed, after you have found yourself in a place where you have called an emotional support helpline aiming to get a bit of human connection.

They just couldn’t wait to get me off the phone..,

After having suffered my brother's traumatic death and the way I had to learn about it, then workplace bullying, parents dying etc. I have been a regular "customer" to the Samaritans and sad to say I only had a few helpful experiences years ago.

I want to leave a review of a suicide charity called The Listening Place, London, but can't find them here. They were started by 2 former Samaritans as they saw the need for face-to-face support.

I understand Samaritans are volunteers and not trained psychologists, but maybe have some do less shifts as I think this is an extremely stressful "job", paid or not.

And recently I was shocked to see ads on socialmedia by the Samaritans in collaboration with British Transport police and Network Rail under the slogan "Smalltalk saves lives" where members of the public are encouraged to approach lone men in assumption they are suicidal.

There are 3 main ads which ALL are done with women approaching strangers/men on the edge of a railway platform. They are told to "trust" their instincts to assume someone is suicidal.

There's NO safety warning whatsoever like calling a member of staff, calling the police or other rescue services. People via women in ads are "coerced" to OVER-RIDE their instincts by questioning themselves if a stranger on the edge of a platform looking sad is suicidal. One ad then had the woman going to the man and invite him for coffee. And in that particular ad a male member of staff from the Railway in orange vest is standing close to the man observing the woman approach the man to invite him for coffee.

Well, isn't that a brilliant idea, a woman inviting a stranger for coffee. Of course, any man will never see this as being "hit" on by a female. *Irony off*

And I can see in my minds-eye the court proceedings: "Your honour, my client has mental health problems and was approached by the woman. He couldn't make a clear judgment when he pushed her on the rail tracks, as he saw her approach as ... [fill in the blanks] ..."

Many of us on social media pointed this out to the Samaritans account, why the staff doesn't approach the man! It's very clear how women's empathy is played with again! My suggestion to the Samaritans was for anyone to call for help to be in a group, NEVER a female alone approaching a stranger! And with the news on the police with aggression, misogyny, violence against women, of course Transport Police support this.

No, I'm not paranoid, but every woman knows how it is to walk with keys clutched between her knuckles walking down the street at night and how attackers often get off the hook by simply saying they have mental health issues. And even day-light attacks are more common than ever.

I was appalled and social media EXPLODED with mainly women, but also some men, countering this, that not only women are in danger of attack, but that women yet again should do the emotional labour to save men and if the woman doesn't "trust" her instinct and gof forbid the man ends his life, it's all her fault!

I don't suffer with suicidal thoughts as much anymore as I used to, but I will not call the Samaritans anymore and highly recommend The Listening Place from personal experience over the years.

I also recommend to do some research into the Samaritans founder. Some "juicy" info there!

I can't put a specific date as I called the Samaritans over various years starting in 2015 until 2018-ish and then remained with The Listening Place.

To Trustpilot, could you please start a review page for The Listening Place as well as Maytree? The Listening Place deserve 10 stars hands down!

A service so inept and uncaring you will get far better advice and sympathy from an Artifical Intelligence bot like Chat GPT. Seriously give that a try instead of these corpses you speak to at the Samaritans. It will offer actual advice and speak with sympathy and compassion even though its a machine its better at taking to people than these muppets.

Rung up. Waited about 20 odd mins to get a person. Then when I did was cut off after about 20 odd seconds. Same again happened 2 more times. Is this normal? If you're telling people to reach out for help then is cutting them off good?

Contacted the Samaritans 3 times, granted I wasn't having a direct panic attack/crisis but was feeling extremely distressed.

first guy was very nice and helpful but was wanting to prematurely end the conversation, and back out. I asked " you know if you feel like I may be wasting your time or you feel like your time may be better spent with people in direct crisis that's completely understandable, just let me know" but he was like no no, that's what were here for, and then 10 mins later 'Offered' to end the call, 2nd person was a woman and was even more vehement in letting me know her time was being wasted. I asked the exact same question and she gave me the exact same response that I was not wasting her time, but then she fairly abruptly said she was ending the call a few minutes after, before hanging up.

The 3rd call was just to ascertain whether I was even allowed or supposed to be calling these people, asking about their policy and why they can't reveal why they need to head off whilst you're speaking - I was informed there was technically a 'Time limit' on how long these people spend talking to you, which I was told was around 30 mins. So if you're not finished speaking in that time you can bet your bottom dollar they're going to subtly tell you to f*** off or abruptly hang up.

Pretty disgraceful service, very little support offered.
I completely understand the policy regarding keeping their identity confidential and not offering advice, but this is not where their issue lies.

Shocked.

I suffer from stress and anxiety and called Samaritans when I was feeling very manic. The woman I spoke to was patronizing and had a bad attitude. She wasn't helpful or didn't listen or speak or show an interest. after 15 minutes she said angrily that I'd been on the phone for too long and made me feel like I was wasting her time. They were no help.

They literally hung up on me, I thought it was maybe my phone or something but no she was really quiet the whole phone call as I was saying everything that happened then she hung up, she's lucky I knew to dial 111 as I was NOT doing well and she nearly made it my 13th reason. All jokes aside, hired some horrible people.

Unqualified to give any sort of support. I rang them once when I was suicidal, but because I wasn't about to take my life, or say, on my way to a high speed train line, they give me the strong impression I was wasting their time.

I felt at my rock bottom when I called. I never thought I would call them in my life. Now Im glad I didn't, as it was a waste of time. They are trained to give NO useful advice, and just let you talk and they listen.

So, if your not a big talking, can express your feelings, or was in my situation, the best of luck to you.

It seems like they exists just so the government/mental health advocates, can say its a help line that exists for support

By the way, just to be clear I called the Samaritans number. I’m not on social media, so I’m not part of any groups. It was the main Samaritans phone number from your website I called.

The above is in response to a review/comment from Samaritans UK, on the 14th of September saying the reviews left here on trust pilot, are for some groups that are not the main Samaritans UK phone number.

I know some people will know about this service already, and it’s not going to give you immediate support, but I recommended you contact and register with let’s talk/or your local mental health support advice service. They will get you assigned to a professional councillor (as in my case). It’s worth it, if you have nobody else to talk to about your problems.

its ok , somewhat hit and miss.
Sometimes they can be great, but sometimes very condescending,negative and bossy. I think it should be monitored somehow. I`ve noticed some of the reviews talk about being "banned" from the phoneline, how the heck did they manage that ?! its a free service, dont expect too much...
In my time of need this year, i got 3 people who were great. thankyou for being there for me....

I considered in depth before I decided to write this review, it's an organisation that is supposed to help in crisis however for many they are doing the opposite. In fairness I don't know how many however I've heard this issue before.

The Listeners are relatively untrained and certainly not counsellors. Apparently Listeners receive less than 10 sessions of training compared to over 3 years plus for a real councillor. Probably the Samaritans should make this clear on their website.

Samaritans are amateurs with all their bias prejudices and preconceptions basically.

Someone who is well known to called one night on distress recently, he was having a panic attack which often means that respiratory signs are exaggerated. Unfortunately the Samaritans straightaway accused him of a lewd act and making the call for his own pleasure. The 'Samaritan' ended the call saying "The Samaritans can't help you".

My long standing acquaintance met me the following day, in greater distress and explained what has happened. I could easily distinguish between the heavy breathing of acute anxiety and that of someone that may be self-pleasuring.

Not only did my friend have to go through the original distress but then being accused of a lewd act in a humiliating, condescending and degrading way.

My thoughts are these 'Samaritans' should really be getting these basics right and until they can they should stop playing at being councillors as they are doing more harm than good.

Absolutely fantastic people, yes they get very busy but please don't give up 💚 Samaritans have helped me so much, many times, myself and my family owe them my life!

I used Samaritans help line for the first time today and spoke to the most lovely lady. From answering the phone in tears and couldn’t get my words out she really calmed me down and gave me plenty of time before I could talk about the many issues I’ve been dealing with mentally. She sat on the phone with me for nearly 45 minutes listening to me, calming me down and helping me make sense of everything running through my mind.

Samaritans is a waste of time, I've phoned them when struggling with mental health and both times felt like an inconvenience to the person that answered the phone. Won't phone again, I'll just struggle and maybe join the people upstairs instead