SUICIDE prevention charity Samaritans was contacted by people in distress or crisis at a rate of every two minutes last year, figures suggest.
According to statistics published by the charity, volunteers were contacted around 249,000 times in total in 2018, providing more than 60,000 hours of emotional support by phone, email or text.
Just under a third of callers expressed suicidal thoughts and feelings, the analysis suggests.
The charity has more than 750 volunteers in Scotland who provide a 24-hour listening service, offering emotional support to anyone in crisis or distress.
According to Samaritans, reasons for people contacting them include feelings of loneliness or isolation, worries about family or relationships, or problems with physical or mental health.
James Jopling, of Samaritans Scotland, said: “Our volunteers are ordinary people who give up their time to do something extraordinary.
“These figures show our service is just as relevant and necessary today as it was when Samaritans first began more than six decades ago.”
The charity has a target of recruiting at least 200 new volunteers this year to support the service it offers.
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