Could you be a Samaritan?

Often we can work through our problems with the help of family and friends, but what if we can’t talk about it with our nearest and dearest? What if the distress is too much? This is where Samaritans can help.

Samaritans is a confidential, non-judgemental, emotional support service for anyone in the UK and Ireland. The service is available 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.

Volunteers offer support by responding to phone calls, e-mails and letters. Alternatively people can drop in to a branch to have a face to face meeting.

So what do Samaritans do? Samaritans don’t offer advice, but by encouraging people who contact them to talk about their feelings they are able to help them explore all the options available. Samaritans believe that given the time and space to work through problems or difficulties in confidence, people can find an inner strength and perspective which lets them find their own way forward.

Not every call is a suicide call, some relate to painful relationship break-ups, or beloved pets dying, bullying in the workplace or at school. Muddled, concealed thoughts, grief and depression can lead to chaotic thinking that can occasionally end with the thought of taking one’s own life.

Samaritans are not experts in suicide. All volunteers undergo intensive training when joining Samaritans. You learn things about yourself and others that will serve you for the rest of your life. Although Samaritans are always looking for new volunteers, not everyone is suitable to be accepted. The Ballymena branch are looking for people who can be non-judgemental, who can listen and, when needed, ask open questions. Qualifications are not necessary, life experience is more important. Do you have some free time during the day or at weekends? Are you over 18? Do you think that you would be a good volunteer? Then contact Ballymena branch, on 028 2565 0000, between 4.00-11.00pm daily and one of the volunteers will contact you to give you more information about what is involved.

If you are in distress, and would like to talk to someone, please phone 08457 90 90 90. Or if you would find it easier to put your feelings in writing e-mail [email protected] a trained volunteer will respond.