wiscsober

I can only make this a list

Man the AA hotline on Tuesdays

Several calls looking for meetings

And then that one call
I can not help with

"I am sick of drinking. I want to kill myself."

At this point I can't do anything but note
the telephone number and call 911.

I wish I could sit with you
do a 12th step call.

for all of you in this position

I just ask you seriously to go to sleep.

upandup

Gutting. Thank you for all of your work, wiscsober.

BabyJane

It's so hard when someone is truly in that dark place where suicide seems like the only option. You did exactly what you should have done, you care about others and you were there to pick up that phone. No matter what happens, you did the best you could. Thank you, on behalf of the sober community, for being there for people when they really need help. What you do saves lives all the time, even if this person is not ok in the end, many others have been given a lifeline because of people like you. I have also done the AA phones at central office and it is not easy to deal with some of those calls. I commend you. Hugs

GracieLou

The shear fact this this person reached out means a lot. They want help, they just were not sure how to go about or who to actually call. They picked one and go you. You helped whether that person knows it or not.

Thank you for what you do. I called AA when I was desperate and the person that picked up got me in contact with someone to take me to a meeting. I do not know who that person is but I am grateful they were there to help me.

wiscsober

Thank you...the hotline is to give out info for meetings...not a crisis line...and to set up for for a 12 step call....i heard such desperation....we have protocols....

wiscsober

we are just not capable for handling crisis calls...

wiscsober

thank you...I've been fielding calls for the last thirty years and each new call wretches my heart

Dee74

It's rough. Take care of yourself wisc.

I never know whether my response is the right one or not, but I always try and get people in touch with professionals, people who can really help.

I do my best, then pass on that responsibility to someone else who does their best - hopefully we get some miracles going



"When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another." Helen Keller

D

bemyself

wics, you are clearly very experienced having fielded AA calls for THIRTY YEARS...forgive me if I'm off-beam on this, of course I don't know you...but are you maybe a bit burnt-out? It's a totally normal experience for those who are on the front line of all emergency / distress call services. Volunteers and paid workers in numerous services simply, well, 'burn out'.

I hope you can take a break. It's actually quite OK - and indeed, better for those you try to help further down the track - if you do as Dee suggests, and look after yourself for a while.

GracieLou

It takes tremendous courage to pick up the phone and ask for help. It would be 100 times worse if when they did, nobody answered. But it was answered, by you. Someone was there on the other end. That is the important part.

ersatzmatriarch

wisc... thank you for all that you do.

Shining~Again

I used to do the same work. It was rather hard sometimes to cope with the crisis calls because like you, we were not a crisis line but the contact and referral.

10 hour days in the office, then transfer the phone to house, drive home as fast as possible for another 14 hours of calls. Volunteer part of the job when out of office.
After years of doing that, I won't pick up the phone but maybe twice a month. Burned me right out and I almost never have anxiety these days.
The blasted phone tho'...still makes me cringe.
an 'all about me' reply Wiscsober butI haven't ever seen someone post that did the same as I had or coped with those kind of calls. For years, days, nights and weekends...and all those holidays..sometimes for 4 days/nights straight.
Never again.
Thanks for sharing.

Isaiah

My hat's off to you, Wiscsober.

I've worked at a crisis center a long time ago, before I'd even touched alcohol, and I've had four friends who've at one time or another called threatening suicide. It's debilitating even when you know what you're supposed to say. Great job in sticking to protocols instead of trying to play savior; that's the only & best way.

Doing a good thing out there!

Junegirl

Wiscsober,

You're doing something wonderful with the work you're doing. Thank you!

Junegirl

LadyinBC

It is kind of weird for me that I see this post today. The other night I was outside smoking and a girl came up to me asking for a light. She proceeded to pull out a crack pipe and lit it up right in front of me.

I was absolutely speechless and had no idea what to say or what to do. She gave me back my lighter and proceeded on her way. Can't help thinking that maybe I should have tried to reach out to her or said something.

This person on the other line is so blessed that you were there to take their call.

wiscsober

I should have wrote that over the past thirty years I have volunteered....not continously.....after ten years of not doing so I just recently started again.