Frequent Questions
How much does it cost to call Samaritans?
Calls are charged at a local rate for
landline numbers. The cost of a mobile phone call varies according
to your network provider.
Can I get in touch with
Samaritans?
Anyone in distress can
contact Samaritans at any time of the day. Samaritans are contacted
every 7 seconds, by phone, by email, by letter or by people coming
into our branches. People of all backgrounds and ages contact us
for emotional support.
Common reasons to call
Samaritans are:
- Relationship and family problems
- Loss, including loss of a job, a friend or a family member
through bereavement
- Financial worries
- Job-related stress or overwork
- College or study related stress.
If you think you might
benefit from confidential emotional support then we are here for
you. You do not have to be suicidal to contact us. We will not
judge you if you call.
We understand that sometimes
it can feel difficult to pick up the telephone, so try an email or write a
letter to us instead. Sometimes writing down your thoughts can
really help understand them better.
"I would tell anyone to call Samaritans
because they've always helped me and you haven't got anything to
lose. If they don't help you, it's just a phone call, you don't
have to tell anyone that you've called them and it's all anonymous.
It's worth a try. Even if you aren't on the point of killing
yourself, you can still be going through immense pain and distress-
almost unbearable - and Samaritans are fantastic at easing your
pain."
Samaritans caller
What happens if the phone is engaged when someone tries to
call?
Calls to the national helpline number
go to the nearest branch of Samaritans across the UK and Republic
of Ireland. If it is engaged the call will be directly routed to
another branch so that the caller does not get the engaged
tone.
Many branches also offer a local
number and if this is engaged, the call will be routed to another
branch.
Shouldn’t I talk to friends and
family instead?
Some people do not have the
support of friends or family. Others do but find that talking to
someone neutral can be beneficial.
"It can be quite frightening when you're very
emotionally lonely and you can't sleep and you can't call anyone
because you don't want to disturb people and worry them. If you
called your friends at 3am in the morning, you would worry them and
you might annoy them a bit. I don't think my parents could cope
with that either. And sometimes parents can't be neutral because
they're very involved with you and when you've been ill so long,
they may lose patience. It's good to be able to talk to someone
who's kind of neutral and not caught up in it all."
Samaritans caller
"I found talking things through very helpful,
especially at a time when I had exhausted the ears of friends and
family. It was helpful to have someone calm and neutral and there
at all times of the day. The troubles and crises you find yourself
in, all seem to overwhelm you at a time when a friend or relative
would find it inconvenient. Also, sometimes feelings that overwhelm
you and seem insurmountable at night, often seem far more copeable
in the morning. For that reason, talking to Samaritans is very
helpful because they don't continue the problem over the time phase
that you need, as a friend might."
Samaritans caller
I’m under 18. Will you tell my
parents/guardians I contacted you?
Confidentiality of calls is
always respected regardless of the age of the caller. The
volunteer’s primary responsibility is to you, not your parents or
guardians. Please note that if you call us from your home phone,
Samaritans’ telephone number will appear on an itemised telephone
bill.
Are you confidential?
We do not trace calls or use
technology to identify telephone numbers. Volunteers are unable to
see senders’ email addresses when they reply. Everything is
confidential to Samaritans unless:
- We have informed consent
from a caller to pass on information
- We call an ambulance
because a caller appears to be incapable of making rational
decisions for him or herself
- We receive a court order
requiring us to divulge information
- We are passed information
about acts of terrorism or bomb warnings
- A caller attacks or
threatens volunteers
- A caller deliberately
prevents the service from being delivered to other callers