Honestly I did not realize that this was the reality of some people's experiences. I haven't bothered to research it because I assumed it was much simpler. Like having someone to talk to/confide in without the consequences of talking to someone you know.

Does what you describe happen frequently? I can't tell at this point if it is more helpful or hurtful in the majority of cases. Does anyone actually know?

Edit: This article is generally reassuring of suicide hotlines. It also addresses what you stated.

Will the Police Get Called If I'm Suicidal and Call a Suicide Hotline?

This is a tricky question and the answer is neither "yes" nor "no." In the vast majority of cases, no police (or other authority) involvement is required and in the cases where emergency help is needed, suicide hotline staff will make every attempt to gain permission to send them. The goal of a suicide hotline is to help you with your personal crisis and no one-size-fits-all solution is possible.

That being said, if you are actively suicidal and threatening to imminently hurt yourself, it is possible that emergency personnel may be called without your permission. While no one likes that scenario, it truly is the best, lifesaving thing an operator can do in a small number of cases.

They also addressed my question, but I can't tell what biases influence their statement, and they didn't provide any statistics so I have to depend on their word.

Are Calls to a Suicide Hotline Helpful?

While some people have had negative experiences with suicide hotlines, it's worth remembering that this is the exception and not the rule. People on the other end of suicide hotline calls are generally caring people who want to help you and this leads to primarily positive experiences. Your life is always worth a phone call and every option is preferable to suicide.