the woman was saying “I don’t know what you want me to do” basically and was sarcastic and snappy I hung up on her and immediately tried to step in front of a train These are people that are stretched to their limits, but if they are feeling that way should not be at work, as lives are genuinely at risk
I’m sorry you went through that, and I hope you got the help you needed.
She should NOT have been snappy and sarcastic. Asking ‘what would you like me to do?’ or something along those lines is fairly standard from Crisis Teams but should always be in a caring, helpful tone.
Unfortunately Crisis Teams get multiple calls each day from people feeling suicidal, and they have to decide whether it’s genuine suicidal ideation, or a cry for help or an emotional response that will pass. They look up the patient’s history (eg any previous suicide attempts or cry for help ‘attempts’ or a diagnosis of EUPD). They ask questions eg have you made a plan or stock piled meds. If a patient is well connected in the community (eg has a CPN or LP and psychology/therapy support) then appointments can be brought forward or a home visit arranged. Some patients respond well to talking it through and using strategies learnt in therapy or on their Care Plan.
If a patient has made serious attempts at suicide before (eg ended up intubated in ITU or taken a serious overdose at a time they know they’re unlikely to be found) crisis teams tend to prioritise these patients as higher risk and go all out to get them admitted. In-patient beds are in short supply so finding one can be a real battle. Often they have to get the police involved and de-commission a 136 suite.
Tragically this means some patients who are genuinely suicidal are missed and end up taking their own lives. Lives will always be at risk, sadly not everyone can be saved if they’re determined to take their own life (often they never contact crisis team at all, they just do it).
And some patients die from ‘misadventure’ eg risky impulsive behaviour caused by their distressed state, rather than a genuine desire to end their lives. Eg if a patient regularly goes to the top of a cliff, phones crisis team and says they want to jump, but changes their mind after talking to crisis team and police, one day they may go to the cliff edge and accidentally slip off while waiting for police. Same with patients who run into slow moving traffic when feeling distressed, they may be trying to seek help but accidentally get hit by a vehicle. It’s awful but crisis teams can’t always predict how a patient will act.
Honestly, the majority of MH staff do care deeply about their patients. They just have limited time and resources to offer them. Believe me no MH professional wants to lose a patient or be hauled before coroner’s court.