Posted on Feb 9, 2015
How do we get more veterans to call to use suicide hotlines when they need them?
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I want to give an example. The VA where I go threw is trying very hard from how far away they are to do the best they can. But one day the guy who calls to chat and check in on me found I was having a very bad bad day. I never threatened suicide I was having troubles getting the post office to see why I needed mail brought to my door. I was crippled twice, and made a comment if people would have seen me get run into on the highway with a truck and stayed in the wheel chair then would they understand. Well the talk line didnt understand what I was trying to say when I get upset best I lay down but that day I decided to try to talk and things just wouldn't come out right.Never did I say I wanted to commit suicide tho. Maybe in 87 when I tried it was bad enough it scared everyone. I no I haven't tried since then but he told me to call a 1-800 number so I did and they put me on hold for over 20 minutes and when they got back on the phone and said they were the suicide prevention number how can they help me I was angry and said for starters anyone if they were wanting to commit suicide could have already done it while on hold. Well I do have to commend my chat guy he did talk to his boss and they got an ambulance here and took me to the nearest hospital for evaluation and found it was a misunderstanding in my wording. But I was known in my area to help the disabled and elderly and this hotline number putting someone on hold was wrong wrong wrong. And even our Congressman and senators new I would fight to get things done by written petitions in the old days. Well today I can't handle it anymore to do it. But how can we as veterans and a group get more people on those hot line numbers and get people to use them appropriately so our veterans and soldiers will call them?
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 7
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Violet, I'm sorry that you've gone through so much hell. The VA and other agencies are actually working on hiring more crisis line folks. For instance, San Diego 211 is hiring military reps to help take calls to assist military folks.
Besides ERs there are many other ways to get help in a crisis. I and most other clergy would talk with you if you called us and said you were in crisis, whether or not you were a congregant of mine.
In addition, I provide counseling through The Soldier's Project. TSP counselors provide free counseling to combat vets who are having problems.
If you need to talk to someone, contact me off line, and I'll be glad to work with you...
Besides ERs there are many other ways to get help in a crisis. I and most other clergy would talk with you if you called us and said you were in crisis, whether or not you were a congregant of mine.
In addition, I provide counseling through The Soldier's Project. TSP counselors provide free counseling to combat vets who are having problems.
If you need to talk to someone, contact me off line, and I'll be glad to work with you...
PV2 Violet Case
Thank you very much , That was just a bad day for me and the VA here does call at times and so does the talk line. But it is wonderful that there are people like you out there offering your own time. I have your email and just may do that. thanks again.
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By doing what you're doing right now; raising awareness. Chances are there are people out there that are wondering the same thing that you are. The more you reach out, the more likely you will find them. Especially with our multiple means of mass communication these days.
I can't speak for the suicide hotlines, but I can speak from the perspective of a former 911 dispatcher.
Before I started work in Emergency Services, I didn't know people called 911 as much as they did. On average, I would answer nearly 50-60 calls in a 12 hour shift. On shift there were only two call-takers for an area with a population of over 200,000+ residents. There were times when we got in the weeds and even though we can hear multiple lines ringing, we weren't able to put the caller on hold until we got the crucial information we needed. Sometimes that meant they were on hold for 10 minutes.
I can only imagine it is the same for some of these other call centers. Although it seems terrible to put someone with suicidal ideations on hold, I would like to assume they are not doing so with any malicious intent.
I can't speak for the suicide hotlines, but I can speak from the perspective of a former 911 dispatcher.
Before I started work in Emergency Services, I didn't know people called 911 as much as they did. On average, I would answer nearly 50-60 calls in a 12 hour shift. On shift there were only two call-takers for an area with a population of over 200,000+ residents. There were times when we got in the weeds and even though we can hear multiple lines ringing, we weren't able to put the caller on hold until we got the crucial information we needed. Sometimes that meant they were on hold for 10 minutes.
I can only imagine it is the same for some of these other call centers. Although it seems terrible to put someone with suicidal ideations on hold, I would like to assume they are not doing so with any malicious intent.
PV2 Violet Case
oh no I didn't mean to say they did it with malicious intent. I was just trying to get out there that we need more people on those lines some how. If I were able to volunteer I would. But after 6 mild stress related heart attacks not sure how many anxiety attacks the doctor says to keep the stress down. But it is not in me to just sit back and do nothing about something so important. Our town is between 1,500 and 2,000 people. Just like I was trying to get the VA to do our telemeds threw the hospitals up here.
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One huge problem is that at-risk Veterans are in fear of getting confined for saying how they feel and this is not a random thing. As I have mentioned before, the VA in Durham has panic buttons on the wall for Veterans that are believed to be violent. I think the perception is being conveyed that this a common problem but that kind of thinking could be a part of the problem.
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PV2 Violet Case
You are so very right SSgt L Ol, Cause even tho I was not needing or wanting to go to the hospital by ambulance like that, I could see how the doctor who we have those temp doctors for ER up here was sort of acting afraid of me. But my daughter doesn't word things right sometimes either when she is in panic. The doctor had talked about sending me by ambulance to Fargo over 4 hrs. I new they would just send me home once I was given the chance to explain what I was trying to in the first place. And then my daughter and I both new I would be stranded with no way home over 4 hours one way and at 10pm by this time. So when the doctor mentioned it my daughter made a mistake of saying if you try to send my mom there you will have a fight on your hands. You are right next thing you no a guy came in and was by my side the whole time. But I called the VA back myself on my own phone and talked to them when the fill in doctor who new nothing about me was trying to figure out what to do. The VA send a specialist in to talk with me. I finally got to explain it all the way I was trying to in the first place and the psyciatrist specialist told the hospital to put the temporary brace I needed for my ankle on my ankle cause I had slipped earlier that morning before it all started and hurt my bad ankle. And to find me a ride home and she signed my release papers. But I in turn understand why civilians are afraid of us too. But what made us that way??? And how are they going to fix it is my questions.
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