help for tricky chats
Most conversations on a buddi bench™ are relaxed, fun & uplifting. A book or a film is recommended; a tip about a resource in the neighbourhood is given; a joke is shared.
Once in a while a conversation on a buddi bench™ may prove more challenging. Sometimes one or both people chatting on a buddi bench™ may be experiencing a degree of distress. So what should you do if you are concerned about a difficult conversation? What to do if you are worried about the wellbeing of the other person?
The key thing to keep in mind is the limit of your responsibility. You are not their therapist or counsellor & are not expected to diagnose mental health conditions or make a risk assessment. buddi bench™ is a form of adult peer support & no-one need be ‘the expert’ in anything, nor be responsible for anyone’s wellbeing other than your own. buddi bench™ is a resource to encourage short, friendly chats between strangers.
It is worth remembering that simply listening to someone attentively for 10 minutes can be a great gift. Less important are profound insights or significant action. There are plenty of other resources that can be accessed if a person requires more than a friendly 10 minute chat with a stranger.
We at buddi bench™ advise that, unless it’s an emergency, you suggest the person check this website & make use of the resources given below. You being aware of these options & mentioning them to others when appropriate is also likely to be helpful.
In descending order of urgency:
an immediate emergency - dial 999
In the very unlikely case of a life-threatening situation phone the emergency services (dial 999) & request immediate help. Examples of such a scenario include you fearing for the immediate safety of yourself or the other person, such as talk of self-harm or suicide or violence against others.
non-emergency but urgent
follow NHS advise
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health
If you need more information than is available online call 111 (free) & ask for assistance.
Samaritans
If someone needs additional support, a very good service to suggest they contact is the Samaritans.
Samaritans provide free 24-hour listening support. They can talk to a person about anything that's troubling them, no matter how difficult:
Call for free, anytime: 116 123
CALM
CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for people in the UK who are down or have hit a wall for any reason:
Call for free: 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight)
Hub of Hope
No matter what you're going through, you should not have to do it alone. The Hub of Hope is a national database that brings together local mental health services.
Shout 85258
Shout offers confidential 24/7 crisis text support for times when you need immediate assistance:
text "SHOUT" to 85258
GP
If you or the person you are worried about do not require immediate help but you are still concerned about your/their mental health, contacting your GP is a good place to start. Get treated as soon as possible, as early treatment is more effective.
Free NHS psychological therapies services
If you live in England, in most areas you can refer yourself for free, non-urgent NHS psychological therapies services, also known as IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) services, which provide evidence-based treatments for depression and anxiety.
You’ll also find some good tips from the NHS here:
For non-urgent issues that you feel buddi bench™ should be aware of please email us: buddibench@gmail.com
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