why aren’t people seeking help
THE BIG PICTURE
When different treatment options are available, why aren’t people seeking them? Sadly, there can be a multitude of reasons, some of which are listed below.
- Lack of awareness
- Fear of being stigmatized
- Fear of being judged
- Being told by others to ‘snap out of it’
- Fear that the therapist will give out information to others
- Lack of family support
- Not realizing that help is required
- Not knowing how to receive help
- Not being able to afford help
- Lack of insurance coverage
- Lack of adequate therapists especially in Tier 2 and 3 cities
- Lack of proximity to specialists and not knowing how to reach them
Read more on Barriers to Treatment
While some barriers could be harder to tackle, there are ways to overcome them.
Read more on Overcoming Barriers to Recovery
FEAR OF STIGMA AND LACK OF AWARENESS
Stigma in particular is a major impediment to seeking help.
So how do we normalize seeking help for mental health challenges?
One way is to talk to people about mental wellness and have open conversations about it at work, home and other community events. You may not think twice to inform your boss if you came down with a flu. Would you tell them if you were diagnosed with a mental health condition? Most wouldn’t. Fear, Shame, Stigma- no one wants that. But there is no shame. Your mind, just like your body, needs nurturing. It can cry for help. Ignoring it worsens the problem.
- If you’ve been at the receiving end of stigma, share the experience and how you overcame it.
- If you come across stigmatizing behaviour, call it out gently and educate the person involved.
- If you are part of the leadership team, share best practices and educate team members against use of stigmatizing language.
Each of us can play a part in removing stigma and spreading awareness on mental illness.
Many people are unaware of mental health conditions nor are they surrounded by those who are well-informed. This lack of awareness is a deterrent to seeking help. They don’t realize that help is required. Education and raising awareness goes a long way in changing this.
Looking inwards and changing one’s own biases (if any) is a great place to start.
People with mental health diagnoses are fighting a silent battle each day, the last thing they need is judgment. Some have shared that handling stigma can be harder the illness itself. Some others have stopped treatment due to fear that others may come to know, thereby worsening their condition.
It is our responsibility to build an equitable society that draws from each of our unique strengths, not prey on those that need a little more help.
LACK OF FAMILY SUPPORT
A person with a mental health condition may not be able to verbalize what they are feeling. Many go through a gamut of emotions. They may be angry, overwhelmed, disinterested, withdrawn, exhausted, terrified, or not. What they are feeling may not be apparent nor understood by others. Family members could lack empathy and be unsupportive.
Many people living with mental illness struggle to fit into a world where the awareness of mental health conditions is non-existent or cursory at best. They have gotten good at masking what they really feel. Many others grieve the lives they could have had if not for the cards they were dealt with. With so much going on, a supportive and understanding family can make a word of a difference. Seeking help would be faster and more effective when supported by loved ones.
Taking up responsibilities at home can be taxing, so a kind and collaborative atmosphere in itself can be therapeutic. It would be very helpful for family to create a space where they can be themselves, take time for themselves, feel loved, nurtured, and safe.
Read more on the Importance of Family Support