Posted on 04/14/2015 5:30:10 PM PDT by Nachum
A Florida veteran says he was repeatedly put on hold for up to ten minutes at a time when trying to call the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide hotline.
U.S. Air Force veteran Ted Koran told ABC Action News in Tampa Bay that he was experiencing suicidal thoughts following the death of his wife six months ago and tried to reach out to the VA hotline.
ABC Action News reports:
The U.S. Air Force veteran first called the James Haley VA Center in Tampa, where a recording gave him the 800 number to the hotline.
(Excerpt) Read more at freebeacon.com ...
Got hung up.
Sounds like a Rodney Dangerfield joke:
Rodney Dangerfield: Went to my doctor and said, “Nobody listens to me.”
Doctor: “Next!”
“I get no respect. I went to my doctor, he told me I was too fat. I said ‘I want a second opinion!’ he said, ‘OK, you’re ugly, too.’”
Was Arnold Rimmer on the other end? He had a “lemming Sunday” when he volunteered that one time.
I used to volunteer for a crisis hotline, I did the 12mid to 8 am shift. The clients would call the service,a nd get basically and answeruing service, then the calls would be routed to me, at my house. It was just the way the thing worked.
I was good for about 5 years. Then one day I realized I didn’t feel anything anymore for the people I figured it was time to stop.
Red Dwarf Ping!
RIMMER: Maybe I should talk to him. Maybe he needs a bit of counseling.
LISTER: You?!
RIMMER: I used to be in the Samaritans.
LISTER: I know. For one morning.
RIMMER: I couldn’t take any more.
LISTER: I don’t blame you. You spoke to five people, and they all committed suicide. I wouldn’t mind, but one was a wrong number! He only phoned up for the cricket scores!
RIMMER: Well, it’s hardly my fault that everyone chose that morning to throw themselves off buildings! Made the papers, you know. “Lemming Sunday,” they called it.
Bookmarking
The only reason to call the VA is as a last resort! Simple and true!
Think of it as therapy: “If they think I’m going to kill myself because they’re too busy to take my call, they’re nuts!”
Sounds like another organization needs to set up a hotline. Wounded warriors or someone who has been there. Nothing efficient about the VA.
bump.
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