Swindon & District Samaritans have been highlighting their work in the run-up to Samaritans Awareness Day on on 24 July.
The date was chosen to symbolise the fact that the organisation is available 24/7 – every day and night of the year – to prevent suicide through the power of human connection.
A spokesperson said: "Every 10 seconds, Samaritans respond to a call for help without judgement or pressure.
"There’s no typical person who calls and no typical problem which is talked about. What matters is how life is making you feel."Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy and Samaritans vision is that fewer people die by suicide - we hope that by encouraging people to talk about suicidal feelings fewer people will make this choice."
Samaritans offer people the time and space to talk through whatever is troubling them - helping to work through what’s on their mind; this can feel as though a weight has been lifted, even if nothing has changed.
It can help put things in perspective, help somebody feel more positive about their future and feel less alone.
As Gareth, a Samaritans caller, said: "I don’t remember much about that call but what I do know is the person I spoke to showed me a lot of empathy and they didn’t judge me…letting me talk and explain how I was feeling. That’s what I really needed."
The spokesperson added: "Please remember, be kind to yourself today and every day and if you’re struggling to cope you can contact Samaritans free, at any time of the day or the night, 365 days of the year."
Help is always available on 116 123, and more information, including about volunteering, can be found at https://www.samaritans.org
Your Comments
Be the first to comment on this article
Login or Register to post a comment on this article