Analysis of Adolescent Barriers in Seeking Help for Mental Health Issues

Abstract

Although previous research has hypothesized that barriers such as misconceptions and shame associated with mental health would hinder not only university students but younger adolescents as well, there has not been a systematic review that explores this topic in depth. In this study, we looked at four major kinds of barriers that adolescents face in seeking help for mental issues. The lack of mental health literacy is a general problem of society at large and this affects adolescents too. Another common issue arises from the stigma and negative attitudes and beliefs associated with mental health issues. Apart from these two issues, something specific to adolescents was the unique situation of adolescents not having complete control over where they received mental health like at school or through the intervention of guardians. This leads to confidentiality and trust issues that are unique to adolescent lives. Other practical barriers that were uncovered like cost and issues with logistics are also captured. With this analysis, this paper also discusses solutions that may be effective in overcoming these barriers.