KUALA LUMPUR: Calls to Befrienders Kuala Lumpur, which provides round-the-clock emotional support for people who are lonely, in distress, in despair and have suicidal thoughts, have been on an upward trend over the past five years.
From 2015 to last year, the number of contacts to the 24-hour helpline has more than doubled, from 21,256 to 44,408, according to data shared by the non-profit organisation based in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
There has been an increase in the number of calls, in the range of 2,000 to 6,000 annually, throughout the period, in tandem with the rise in the number of those ringing in daily, which grew from about 55 to 122.
The surge in calls, amounting to 6,079, was evident from 2018's 30,075 total contacts, which soared to 36,154 in 2019.
Befrienders Kuala Lumpur executive director Kenny Lim said there had been an increase in calls as far back as 10 years and even more during the Movement Control Order period enforced at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2020, there were 40,509 calls, with about 111 received a day. It went up to 44,408 calls, with about 122 daily last year.
Last year, the top three issues raised were mental health, which made up 31 per cent of the calls, family issues (12 per cent) and relationships (11 per cent), with the rest involving social difficulties, job woes and others.
"Some 33 per cent of the callers have expressed suicidal ideation or have attempted to end their lives before.
"The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, such as the travel and socialising bans, further heightened suicidal ideation.
"But the reasons for someone to feel suicidal normally come from a combination of different factors, which can make one feel helpless and hopeless," he told the New Straits Times.
There were also a myriad of Covid-19-related concerns conveyed to their trained volunteers, he said.
"There were those who were afraid of contracting Covid-19, some who had lost their family members to the virus and also lost their jobs due to the pandemic. There were those who were nervous about not being able to leave their homes.
"Some of those with pre-existing mental disorders had worried about the travel restrictions and wondered if they could go out and get treatment.
"Those who depended on others for support were down with anxiety as they could not meet their friends. They were cooped up at home with family members and ended up arguing with each other.
"At the same time, there were also those who were alone and could not visit their families and they experienced loneliness. These situations were the opposite ends of the spectrum."
The time that trained volunteers spent with callers varied, said Lim, with some stretching up to 30 minutes, and those who were distressed and highly suicidal might need even more time.
However, he added, there was no time limit to how long each caller could remain on the line.
As suicidal thoughts come and go, Lim said, the helpline's role was to be there for the callers during their times of crisis.
"This is so they have someone to talk to and convince them out of their intention. But the suicidal ideation will come back, maybe in a few days, or a week or two later.
"For those who are severely struggling with suicidal thoughts and are at high risk, they may be dealing with a mental disorder as well. In cases like that, it is best to seek professional help. There are psychiatrists who give out our number as their patients just need someone to talk to.
"For those who are highly suicidal, we invite them to call us any time they want."
To ensure they could answer more calls, Lim said Befrienders Kuala Lumpur was seeking to recruit more volunteers to join
their pool of 125, who dedicate three hours of their time every week, alongside a once-a-month overnight duty.
He said the organisation was always looking out to boost the number of volunteers, and at least two to three people were on duty at a time.
"If a fourth person calls in, they will get a recorded message that we are engaged and they are asked to call us back. The more volunteers we have, the more callers will be attended to.
"No paper qualification is needed. They do not have to be trained in psychology or counselling. As long as they feel they want to help, they can join us.
"More importantly, they have to be patient because sometimes, they may be with the same caller for an hour. Volunteers also have to be non-judgmental as we must have full acceptance of our caller, regardless of who they are and what they do.
"Whoever calls us, we will listen to them," he said.
Prospective volunteers will have to attend an eight-day training session, which revolves around topics such as active listening skills, self-awareness, grief, depression and suicide.
Befrienders Kuala Lumpur patron Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye urged anyone struggling to cope in a difficult situation to talk to someone they trust or call the helpline.
"If you know someone experiencing hardship, allow them to talk about it or share the contact details of helplines with them.
"Befrienders Kuala Lumpur offers confidential emotional support to anyone in need of a listening ear, 24 hours a day."
Befrienders Kuala Lumpur is reachable 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 03-7627 2929.