Ewan's email
From: Ewan
To: Get Connected
Sent: 15 October 2007
Subject: Help needed
Hi.
I'm thinking about killing myself soon, I can't take this loneliness any more. Can you help?
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From: Get Connected
To: Ewan
Sent: 15 October 2007
Subject: Re: Help needed
Hi Ewan,
Thanks for your email.
I'm really sorry to hear you're feeling this way, but it's really good that you're seeking help. I'm not sure if you've used Get Connected before, so I'll explain what we do. We're a young people's helpline, and we try to explore your problems so we can put you in touch with the best help we can find. In order for us to find the best help, I hope it's okay to ask you a few questions?
I'm concerned when you say you're contemplating suicide. Are you living with anyone else or are you going through this alone?
Have you told anyone how you're feeling?
You mentioned that you feel lonely - is there anything in particular making you feel lonely, for instance have you moved to a new town, or lost and friends or family recently?
There are lots of different types of help available. Do you know whether you'd prefer advice, counselling, emotional support etc? Also let us know if you have a preference for a face-to-face service, a phone service or another online service.
Finally, how old are you and where are you roughly in the UK? Some services are for specific age groups and locations, so we can bear yours in mind when we're looking.
You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to, but any information you can give us will help us find the right service for you.
We look forward to hearing from you when you're ready to respond. In the meantime, a couple of services that might be able to help are:
Samaritans, a UK wide 24 hours helpline particularly for those feeling suicidal and despairing. They are open all the time and can be reached on 0845 790 9090. They also offer an email service .
Saneline - a UK-wide service too and offer information and support for all those affected by emotional problems or mental health concerns. Their number is 0845 767 8000, 1pm to 11pm.
Get Connected can connect you to either of these helplines for free if you need us to.
All the best,
Ravi
Get Connected
Ewan wrote back the next day to tell us more about his situation. He was 18 and living in rural Scotland, with only the occasional chance to go to his nearest city and socialise. He didn't get on with people his own age and was finding it increasingly hard to talk about anything except via email. The only way out of his isolation he could see was to take his own life.
Get Connected searched our databases for organisations that might be able to help Ewan.
We sent him details for a local young people's centre where he could call or drop in for counselling. We also sent him the web address of a helpline staffed by young people, where he could try sorting out his feelings with someone his own age without the peer pressure he'd found depressing in college circles.
We suggested a couple of websites with useful advice and information on them, one specifically for young men in despair and one giving young people advice by webchat.
Lastly, we reiterated that if he wanted to talk things through or get a connection to another helpline, he could phone us for free and we'd be glad to help.
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Please note, we've changed identifying details on this email to protect the confidentiality of our service users.
