On Calling a Hotline

If a hotline is 24-hours, which most are, don't hesitate to call at any time. The people who are staffing the hotline have chosen that shift & are ready to take a call. Don't feel bad for calling.

I'll even give an experience I had ... At my center, we always have a back-up staffer on in case we have any questions, need support after a difficult call, have a call that needs more support, etc. One morning I was on the 6am-noon shift & I couldn't find the new number to check in with the answering service. So at 6am, so early on a Saturday morning, I had to call back-up. But I knew that the person had signed up for that shift & was "expecting" to field calls.

It takes a lot of courage to call a hotline, whether it's your first time or you've called before. Don't get down on yourself if you haven't been able to bring yourself to pick up the phone. You might not be ready yet. And when you are ready, someone will be there.