What actually happens if I call Samaritans?
A trained volunteer answers and asks what's going on. You don't have to give your name, the call is free and doesn't show on your bill, and they will not send an ambulance or the police unless you ask them to or your life is in immediate danger. They listen rather than give advice, and the call lasts as long as you need.
Who answers
A volunteer, not a doctor or a call-centre script. They're trained to listen and to sit with whatever you say without flinching or rushing you.
Do they trace the call or tell anyone?
No. Samaritans is confidential. They don't trace calls and they don't pass your details to your GP, your family or the police. The one exception is where there is an immediate danger to life — and even then they'll usually try to work it out with you first.
Do I have to be suicidal?
No, and most callers aren't. Work, money, a breakup, a bereavement, or simply not being able to explain why everything feels flat — all of it is a good enough reason.
What if I can't say it out loud?
Email jo@samaritans.org instead. Replies usually come within a day. Silence on the phone is also fine — plenty of calls start with it.
How it ends
There's no assessment and no paperwork. You hang up when you're ready. You can call again the next night and start over with someone else.
Not sure where you are on the scale?
Press the button, pick a number from 1 to 10, and see what fits.
Last checked: September 2026