What Happens When You Text Into The Crisis Text Line

 

At Suffer Out Loud, we are BIG fans of the Crisis Text Line . This is a resource we promote frequently in our Suffer Out Loud community.  According to their website, “The goal of any conversation is to get you to a calm, safe place. Sometimes that means providing you with a referral to further help, and sometimes it just means being there and listening. A conversation usually lasts anywhere from 15-45 minutes.”


A member of our Suffer Out Loud community recently checked in with the Crisis Text Line for some encouragement and wanted to share her experience.

I started by texting “home” to 741-741. I receive 2 automated messages right away, so I felt confident someone was on their way to me.

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I was connected with someone within 5 minutes. She was very supportive and encouraging throughout the entire conversation.

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As I continued texting with the Crisis Line Volunteer, she:

  • Encouraged me to reach out to those around me and let them know that I’m struggling.

  • Checked in on my safety .

  • She was easy to talk to and I felt comfortable texting with her.

  • Thanked me multiple times for reaching out and let me know it was OK to do so.

  • Inquired about past events in my life that could maybe be triggering these feelings.

  • Encouraged me to do something relaxing and nice for myself, like take a bath, take a walk, or rent my favorite movie.

  • Suggested an app called Wisdo that connects people with similar life experiences after I shared with her I don’t have anyone to open up to.

It felt good really good just to know someone cared and it made all the difference to know I had a safe person to open up to. Although it can be difficult to text in and admit to a stranger that things are hard, it was so worth it!

We hope that this shared experience is helpful for you. You shouldn’t have to go through this alone and we want you to reach out. The Crisis Text Line is a good first step to start a conversation. Always remember that there is no shame is reaching out for help.

-The Suffer Out Loud Team

 
Real StoriesCiera Krinke