Samaritans

Samaritans is the charity that prevents suicide through the power of human connection.

Connecting people in crisis with trained volunteers who will always listen.​ People calling for change with those who need to listen. ​
People who’ve been there before, with those struggling now.​
 
​Thousands of Samaritans volunteers from all walks of life are there every day and night, listening without judgement. 
They answer a call for help every 10 seconds. Every hour of every day, Samaritans work to make suicide prevention a priority and reach
people before it’s too late. In every community, including yours.​
 
Let’s prevent suicide today. ​Because tomorrow’s too late.
 

Amanda's Story

*Name has been changed to conceal and protect identity of caller*

“The relationship started off OK but the person I was with had alcohol issues throughout our time together. I always felt low because I was constantly being put down. I wasn’t able to see my family without being grilled about where I was going. I lost a lot of friends and I became very shy and meek as my partner’s alcohol issues got worse. ​

I had to get a lot of payday loans out to fund his alcohol issues and there were times when I couldn’t even put gas and electric on. I felt I couldn’t tell anybody about it, and I just got lower and lower. ​

​Towards the end it became quite physical, quite argumentative and I couldn’t see what was in front of me. I would take myself off for walks and I would think ‘if I just disappeared now no-one would notice. If I ran off, my family wouldn’t miss us.’ ​

It was a cold night in the winter. I sat in my car and drove, I phoned Samaritans in crisis. The black mist descended, and I couldn’t see any way out of it. ​
I remember the person on the phone was the person that saved me that night. I always remember that they said to go visit a friend, so we went for a walk and had a long talk. She said I had to tell my parents what I was going through. ​

Speaking to someone [at Samaritans] who never knew me was very helpful because one of the hardest things was opening up to people close to me. ​
I’m now back living with my mam and dad, and I’ve just started a nursing degree which I’ve always wanted to do. I feel so much more secure and happier, and a bit proud. When you’re in that situation, the barriers are up and you can’t see the light at the end, that’s why I contacted Samaritans.”