Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Telephone etiquette (going badly) and mental illness stigma

Ever since the event of last year; I find it so distressing to be in a phonecall that I just end it. I suppose it does seem very rude, or angry. I normally wouldn't have been able to do it, but I have lost something in me that were to normally hold me back.

I've been hung up on, and sometimes it really hurt, lets give instances:

  1. My university's nightline hung up on me 5 times: they have this phrase "I'm sorry but Nightline does not think we can help you so we are terminating the call", then they hang up.
  2. Samaritans says similar, or, they ask you to speak up, or very odd condescending questions like "I have to have my coffee break can I pass you on to my colleague?"; they also put the phone down after 45 minutes
  3. "You are a repeat caller and we are terminating this call" - A local Mind helpline

It hurts so much. I find it so hard to trust anyone, even my close friends. It hurts so much, I'm so alone. I'm glad I have this blog to express myself, albeit through a fake name. I have been so embarrassed to tell anyone about these phonecalls and the way they treated me, because these organisations are there to help people like me; I don't want to take them down or criticise them for their intention to help, but they hurt me bad and treated me in a stigmatising and inhumane way.

Conatus

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