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> Does anybody else find this kind of response patronizing? Yes, though not at all for the reasons you stated. The canned suicide hotline/cheery bullshit/"you
by some_random 8y ago
> Does anybody else find this kind of response patronizing?
Yes, though not at all for the reasons you stated. The canned suicide hotline/cheery bullshit/"you can talk to me if you're sad!1!" is absolutely awful, and not usually what a depressed person talking about their depression on the internet needs to hear. It shuts down the conversation in a way that no one can reasonably argue with, and gets the well meaning asshole who copy pasted a few phone numbers into a text box a bunch of internet points, and little else.
- c22 8y agoIt's true that this sort of direct approach is likely ineffective for many depressed people, but it is also unlikely particularly detrimental. As someone who has fixated on and attempted suicide in the past, I now feel like that decision would have been a grave mistake. So I am glad things like the Suicide Prevention Hotline exist and are advertised by smug internet assholes because I think they do help some of the people who may be blundering into a bad decision.
- kazagistar 8y agoI've heard horror stories. Hotlines being required by the US to call emergency services on mention of suicide, which leads to forceful loss of freedom and medical and ambulance bills that put the caller in a spiral of debt.
- tuesday20 8y agowhich leads to forceful loss of freedom and medical and ambulance bills that put the caller in a spiral of debt. This is beyond disgusting. Who comes up with these stupid laws? Take freedom and money from someone already depressed? WTF
- alan_wade 8y agoWhat is the best way to respond/try to help?