For some, hiding their identity when talking about such a sensitive subject is critical and without protection, they may not contact help at all.
People who are very concerned about anonymity might also choose to use a suicide hotline chat. Many people are also accustomed to text messaging even hundreds of times per day, so that option makes sense to them. It may seem more natural for some to chat with another person (especially a stranger) rather than call a helpline. This is because young people are very accustomed to communicating with others in this manner. Typically it's younger people who use suicide hotline chats. Additionally, suicide hotline chats can be helpful for those with hearing impairment. These types of suicide prevention can be helpful for some people who are more comfortable communicating through the written word rather than through speech.
Suicide hotline chats are available online and sometimes even over cell phone text messaging. While most people know about suicide hotlines available via phone, many people are not aware that suicide chat hotlines are also available.
