The Samaritans
The Samaritans are a British charity, founded in 1953, which exists to provide confidential emotional support to any person, who is suicidal or despairing; and to increase public awareness of issues around suicide and depression. This service is provided 24 hours every day by trained volunteers. It is free. You are guaranteed absolute confidentiality and that you will not be judged. They believe that everyone has the right to control their own destiny - including the right to end their life.
Samaritan volunteers are not psychotherapists or mental health professionals. They are volunteers who have been trained in the art of listening and empathy.
You can talk to a trained Samaritan volunteer by e-mail, phone, postal mail, or by visiting one of their branches in person. They have over 200 centers in the U.K. and Ireland. Their international offshoot, Befrienders International, has branches in 41 countries worldwide.
The Samaritans answer e-mail daily. E-mail messages are answered by trained volunteers, all of whom use the pseudonym "Jo". In 1999 over 25,000 persons corresponded with the Samaritans by e-mail.
