Depression and anxiety are among the top causes of illness and disability in teens, according to the World Health Organization. Despite this, many adolescents remain reluctant to seek help from trusted figures.
Samaritans, a Boston-based helpline, has provided suicide prevention services in Massachusetts and the United States for the past 50 years. One of its newer initiatives, the Hey Sam hotline, caters specifically to young people by providing a text-based support platform run by volunteers aged 15 to 24. From 9 a.m. to midnight seven days a week, anyone under 24 can receive support from their peers who may be better equipped to understand their struggles.
In March 2022, Samaritans was contacted by Massachusetts State Senator Becca Rausch. She had talked with youth in her district who expressed the need for mental health support, and the idea to create a peer-to-peer text line was born, according to Hey Sam Youth Services Coordinator Gina Bates.
“She asked us because we’ve had the experience running these kinds of support lines. Here we are, a few years later, and it’s really grown a lot. It’s been cool to see the growth and trajectory there,” Bates said.
Hey Sam Training Manager Charlotte Boyd said the text line was initially created in response to changing technology and young people’s preference for text over phone calls.
“The transition to text was strategic because it’s a more comfortable way for a lot of people to communicate with one another. The peer-to-peer side of things is powerful; young people often confide in friends or peers rather than adults,” Boyd said. “Knowing that the person on the other end is around their age can make texters feel heard, understood and more comfortable sharing tough feelings.”
Director of Text Services Jeremiah Mankin has worked for Samaritans for 11 years and is a former volunteer. Mankin said the organization wants to provide a space for people struggling with mental health to be heard.
“We ask open-ended questions that steer toward the pain. We don’t try to distract people from what’s going on, and that’s kind of our North Star when we’re in conversation,” Mankin said. “It’s keeping an open mind, being non-judgmental and always keeping in mind what brought that person to reach out.”
Boyd said that Samaritans also has grief support services for people who have lost others to suicide, providing safe spaces for people to come together and share their experiences.
“The goal is to create a community for those grieving a suicide loss as part of our broader suicide prevention mission,” Boyd said.
Prior to the pandemic, the Massachusetts branch of the hotline was staffed by volunteers from the Boston area, according to Bates, while users were able to text in from anywhere in the United States.
“Since COVID, our volunteers have become fully remote, which has allowed us to open up globally. Now we have volunteers from all over the world, which is an amazing opportunity to form global connections,” Bates said.
According to Mankin, despite the increasing prevalence of mental health issues in teens, a stigma around seeking help still remains. Mankin said that having the courage to reach out and get support is a sign of strength.
“Looking for help can look different depending on the person. It can be talking to your friend. It can be reaching out to a helpline. It can be talking to a family member or a parent asking them to connect you with resources,” Mankin said. “There shouldn’t be any shame in reaching out. If more people reached out, I think the world would be a much better place for everybody.”
If you are struggling with your mental health, the Hey Sam hotline (439726) is open from 9 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.
