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SHOUT

Former MemberFormer Member ☕🌻☕Posts: 12,938 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
in Health & Wellbeing
Hello all.

So I've been looking into texting SHOUT but I keep hearing so many awful stories about their services and wonder if anyone had issues?
I've been put off by the fact they will stop you mid conversation and tell you that you can no longer text them for 48 hours and that they only receive texts no longer than 160 characters. (I've seen screenshots of texts saying this from SHOUT). I've also seen screenshots of them telling vunerable people in crisis to seek professional help and then not responding to the conversation, I'm struggling to understand how that would be helpful for anyone?

Now that Samaritans text service has closed, I'm really struggling without being able to thrown them a text during the day or evening when I'm finding things difficult. 

Has anyone actually had a good experience with SHOUT?

Comments

  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,687 Skive's The Limit
    edited February 2020
    Heyy

    yeah its not the greatest place for a crisis in my opinion. And could improve. Doesnt help me and havent used for awhile and dont think i will

    i go there with first text saying i need help but i dont want to be told any distraction techniquies or that i need professional help - i just want to speak to someone of how i feel and ive tried all my distract techniquies otherwise i wouldnt be here. 
    They then go on to ask what techniquies ive used and if any others i could use. I say i want to speak about how i feel and why im in a crisis cause im fed up of distraction techniques then would askObvious questions and then end the convo.  I get annoyed that person wont listen so wait til convo is over  and try a different person to be told i cant speak cause i just spoke to someone. Then i just get more annoyed cause they just feel like robots and Never care at why i feel like that. Just distract me which if i could distract myself i wouldnt be there just wanted someone human to care and to see a little clearer. But no. Youd think that's why they exist if you've tried everything else but want to speak to a person.. I have had one good experience though of where they did actually listen. But most times they won't. They do ask why feel like that onlyHave 160 charatsers to say. Then say I understand you feel suicidal. then straight away with the trchniques with hardly actknowledging or want to hear more of what actually said. And i can predict what they will say before they say it so bit pointless and like a robot. 
     
     dunno if improved since then cause lot of people say similar so might of but doubt it 

    but i do kinda get why they would say need professional help and cant use for a certain while. Cause if youre always in crisis then they can only help to a certain extent. 

    You could email samaritans 
    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
  • Former MemberFormer Member ☕🌻☕ Posts: 12,938 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    With Samaritans I would text when I just need to talk.. I wasn't in crisis. I just needed to talk. Seems shout won't offer that. I emailed Samaritans 3 days ago and heard nothing. 
    Starting to feel like I should shut up. I clearly don't matter
  • Former MemberFormer Member Lyrical Poster Posts: 5,462 Part of The Furniture
    hey @GreenTea

    You do matter, we are here for you :heart:

    Sorry to hear that you haven't heard back from Samaritans. 

    We're always here for you :heart: 
  • Millie2787Millie2787 Community Champion Posts: 5,202 Part of The Furniture
    Hey Greentea :) 

    I think with any service there I’d always going to be good and bad experiences and more often than not we hear more of the bad then the good ones .

    ive had a few times where I’ve had some good experiences , where they have really listened to what I was saying and I felt like they empthasied with me.

    but I also understand it’s hard when once you’ve contacted them you can’t speak to them for a certain time as we both know crisis can last longer than a certain point - I think shouts Aim is to try and get you to a point where you feel abit more able to manage to be able to go on a seek professional help.

    All of us here will always be here to listen and support you <3
    Sometimes all you need is one person to believe in you , for you to begin to believe in yourself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Noob Posts: 235 Trailblazer
    I was in crisis and they ended the chat with me. I got found at the side of the road steaming drunk by someone who drove past and taken to A&E as I had been there for hours in the freezing cold with not really warm clothes on, the people said my body was really cold. I was having auditory hallucinations. Will never use their service again. 
  • Former MemberFormer Member ☕🌻☕ Posts: 12,938 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    Kai said:
    I was in crisis and they ended the chat with me. I got found at the side of the road steaming drunk by someone who drove past and taken to A&E as I had been there for hours in the freezing cold with not really warm clothes on, the people said my body was really cold. I was having auditory hallucinations. Will never use their service again. 

    Oh shit. That's awful
    Hope you are doing ok now?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Noob Posts: 235 Trailblazer
    Yeah I'm okay, that was November I think. I came off a section 2 Thursday just gone so will be on chat later. 
  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,687 Skive's The Limit
    edited February 2020
    Samaritans can take awhile to reply. Sometimes they miss an email so may worth try sending it again

     i just had a chat with shout and haven't done for ages. Was really helpful. Spoke for just over 1 hour and a half and actually listened to why i felt so shitt. Instead of what they usually did
    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
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