[Twenty-five years of telephonic emergency service in Poland: the aim and role of the Telephone Helpline in the prevention of social pathology].

In 1992 Polish Telephonic Emergency Service celebrated its 25th anniversary. The first two posts of "Telefon Zaufania" (Confidence Telephone) started simultaneously but independently in Wrocław and Gdańsk in 1967. Both sought to serve people in psychological crisis. The Gdańsk post became known as "Anonymous Friend" and it was run on a voluntary basis. In Wrocław "Telefon Zaufania" was strictly professional, it was organized in the Psychiatric Clinical of the Medical Academy and manned only by psychiatrists. Today in Poland there are such telephone posts almost in all cities and larger towns. Since 1973 the Polish telephone posts belong to IFOTES (International Federation of Telephonic Emergency Service) and they follow the norms of IFOTES: anonymity, unselfishness, confidence and befriending callers. In 1990 their was organized the Polish Association of Telephone Service in order first of all to improve the quality and efficiency of their service, to coordinate their work and to co-operate with Polish and international centers. The major problems of callers in crisis are the same in all types of post: family conflicts, marital troubles, peer group problems, the lack of the sense life, suicidal thoughts, drink and/or drug addiction. In the prevention of social pathology "Telefon Zaufania" proves the first, often the only rescue line to people in psychological crisis.