The Telephone of Hope number is…

934 144 848.

Who’s calling there?

We answered 43,000 calls during 2022.

What did they want?

Speak with someone.

That’s all?

Does that seem little to you?

Having friends, a partner, siblings…

Do you have someone to listen to you?

Yeah.

And do you listen to him conscientiously?

Yeah.

Without judging you, whatever you say?

Yeah.

And do you dare to tell him everything, everything?

Yeah.

Well, many people don’t have any of that.

Does the Telephone of Hope replace it?

Yes. Volunteers listen without judging.

Give me a call.

A teenage girl calls. She is in her room. In the living room, her parents watch TV.

A very familiar picture.

“I cut myself on the arm with a knife.”

That?

That’s what the girl says. The volunteer extended that conversation. Finally that girl calmed down.

But… with parents by your side and…?

She felt very alone, so alone that she needed to self-harm.

Or maybe he thought about suicide…

Suicide calls grow year after year. People who announce their suicide.

What does the volunteer do then?

Talk and talk. She knows how to lengthen the conversation, and in the meantime alerts 061 to prepare an ambulance.

But… he doesn’t know where to send it!

The volunteer tries to get the communicator to say where he or she is at some point.

It works?

In 2022 we thus prevent 250 suicides.

You can feel proud.

For suicide attempts today we have the TPS (suicide prevention telephone number).

Tell me, please.

900 925 555.

If I call, what will I find?

A conversation as equals. You won’t talk to a doctor or a psychologist, it will be someone normal, a one-on-one conversation.

And after that?

The caller is letting off steam and will hang up the call when he wants to hang up.

But… then he can commit suicide…

“I have taken eight pills,” said a girl as she walked towards the Mar hospital… In the end we saved her.

“He who announces that he will commit suicide, will not do it,” says popular wisdom.

That mistake! Verbalized suicidal ideation can be the prologue to suicide.

“Talking about suicide in the media can inspire potential suicides,” it is said.

On the contrary! Today we know very well that it is very beneficial to speak clearly.

Do you propose any more measures?

Yes: we know that young people today do not use the telephone… and we have created a mobile number to be able to chat on WhatsApp.

Tell me too!

679 333 363.

And is this idea working?

We got it right! We have already had two thousand conversations with young people. Know that there are three million Spaniards diagnosed with depression, and eleven commit suicide every day…

Shivering.

The great pandemic of the 21st century is the breakdown of emotional health: one in four people will suffer from it at some point in their lives. It has happened to me myself.

Yeah? What happened?

I was silent while my anguish grew inside… And one day I collapsed. And I haven’t forgotten those who listened to me… Talking is key!

Any other phone to talk to?

Also write down the telephone number of the Fundació Ajuda i Esperança, where I have been working for six months: 932 020 260.

What profile does the average Telephone of Hope caller have?

There are slightly more calls from women than from men… although there are more suicidal men. Everyone needs communication, even if it is with an anonymous person.

And what do callers usually say?

Cases of bullying at school or at work. Or abuse in nightclubs. Or abuse. Or infidelities. Fear of confessing homosexuality…

And what is the profile of the anonymous volunteers of the Telephone of Hope?

Varied, and we teach them classes in active listening, patience, transmitting calm…

How many volunteers are there?

We currently have 400 volunteers…and we need to double them! Up to about 800.

What is required of the volunteer?

Three intense hours of your time every fortnight to listen to others. It is anonymous altruism. How beautiful to see a society helping itself!