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:
Virtually Seth app/chatbot - NEW! free & confidential mental health & addiction help 24/7/365
Seth has condensed 25+ years of his expertise in the fields of addiction and mental health & uploaded hundreds of his articles & presentation notes to this AI model.
This tech uses models like ChatGPT but takes it to the next level.
Topics you might like to explore:
mental health
- anxiety - anger - bipolar - depression - sleep - schizophrenia - trauma - OCD - & lots more
addiction issues - ANY substance or behaviour including:
- alcohol - food - sex - narcotics - internet - gaming - relationships - smoking
So Virtually Seth (VS) gives you:
- free 24/7 (365) access to Seth's brain
- the benefits of working with a buddi/coach/mentor sharing information & tips, on your terms
- no judgment
- no cost
- 100% confidential (your conversation is only read by AI - no humans are involved)
- no catch
Disclaimer
Virtual Seth (VS) is an artificially intelligent model ('trained' on Seth's knowledge & experience) and not a real person. We cannot be held responsible for any advice given. As a rough guide, treat this service as if you were having a chat & a coffee with Seth in a cafe. Insightful yet informal. Seth suggests you ALWAYS consult several professionals before taking any significant actions that might effect either your physical or mental health. This service is meant to be used in addition to other professional services, not instead of expert advise. Please exercise due caution. 😊
For non-urgent issues that you feel buddi bench™ should be aware of please email us: buddibench@gmail.com
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just a few of our many creative responses to human distress
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