I recall that this hotline basically just calls your local authorities and prevents you from being a danger to yourself by having you committed to a mental health facility. Sub-optimal.
If OP is in Germany (they say they studied in the US implying that they are no longer there; and their nick is Deutscher) then https://www.telefonseelsorge.de/telefon/ claims to be anonymous.
If OP is in Germany, I can second this recommendation. They're funded via Christian organizations but as far as I'm aware the hotlines themselves are secular by default so if you're an atheist or non-Christian you don't have to worry about them pushing anything religious on you. Also, given how strict German privacy laws are, their claims of anonymity are as reliable as they can be (caveat: don't confess to any major crimes you have committed as those are usually not covered by privacy laws).
The easiest way to access a therapist is to ask your general practitioner (Hausarzt or Allgemeinmediziner) for a referral. You'll still have to find one yourself but they can direct you towards a list. The wait times can be very long but the sessions (and meds if any) are covered by public health insurance.
Mental health facilities are not good for your mental state. If you thought you knew what mental anguish was just wait until you get to the big leagues. They dope you up and you sit around in a sterile hospital bed until you get the hint that you can’t go home until you stop voluntarily reporting symptoms of wanting to self harm.
First they will talk you down if there is imminent danger. There are some real skilled people that are good at de-escalation. They might try to get you in touch with any fiends or relatives you may trust, and even conference them into the call with your permission. (I was called by them.)
They can also dispatch a team to help calm down any acute episode of severe depression / suicide ideation.
They can recommends a voluntary committment to a mental health facility. Involontary committment has certain criteria regarding safety and imminent danger, at which point it would involve the police and they would be the ones making that call.
If not a mental health facility, they do recommend getting a psychiatrist ASAP and provide referrals. And they call back a few days to check on the caller, to ensure they followed through and are seeking help.
Source: A close relative experienced this first hand.
Seems like unnecessary shade to throw on the helpline. There was a viral thing a bit ago making rounds on social media accusing them of it but its far from reality. There are like 50k of 3 million calls a year that result in contacting the authorities, but its extreme scenarios.
Its a rare thing and highlighting it as the default scenario is spreading FUD and possibly keeping people from getting the help they need. It is true though that if you call and describe an immediate plan to kill yourself there is some legal, ethical, and liability requirements that mean they will call authorities. Exact same thing if you tell your doctor or therapist.
