Why some people avoid getting the mental health care they need?

Answer 1

There's a stigma attached to mental health issues these days, and people are either too embarrassed to seek out help or in denial that they have a problem at all.

Answer 2

I've had severe mental illness for a long time, so I know firsthand a lot of the reaasons:

Insurance doesn't cover it like it does so-called "physical" illnesses (most mental illnesses are physical problems with the brain, but the insurance companies do not think the brain is part of the body)

They lack insight into their mental illness, that is, they are so seriously ill that they do not know they are ill, or at least think it isn't very bad. Or, they have such severe mental illness that they are unable to access help. It is very difficult. I have a social worker for all the good that does me.

They have been seriously abused by the mental health system. In the 70's, mental hospitals were still torturing patients with ECT without anasthesia because they were "defiant" (read a teenager). This happened to a respected mentally ill public speaker that we had at our county's mental health education seminar. There are still many, many abusive psychiatrists who bully their patients like no family doctor or surgeon ever would dare. And the law allows medical people to force a mentally ill person to take drugs against their will. Would you willingly go into a system that can use the law against you and force you into treatment you don't agree with?

Do not want to admit they have a problem (weakness)

stigma of mental illness. I think it is getting to be less, but still there.

Pills have too many side-effects or a person's belief that they don't do anything (lots of antipsychiatry messages out in the media, plus black box warnings)

Do not believe that mental illness is real. think it is just weakness/laziness etc.

Can lose your job/your gun etc. You can't do certain jobs if you are diagnosed with a mental illness, is my understanding. Such as, pilot, truck driver, cop. You can be a reckless jerk, but you can't have depression. (Now, frankly, if you have mental illness, you probably wouldn't want such a stressful job, but what to do if that is already your job and then you get mentally ill?) In Hawaii, my understanding is that you can't own a gun if you have anything that's in the DSM, the psychiatric diagnosis manual. There are probably other rights/opportunities you would lose that I can't think of.

So there are lots of reasons.

Answer 3

because they are afraid of being mentally ill, or believe "oh its just in my head, and i can con troll it" sometimes it does not work that way and mental health help is needed. some time people don"t what to admit they have problems, because they feel ashamed, because of the stigma attached to mental illness. some times people are so sick, they do not realize they are sick there is also a lot of misinformed, and negative information, such as how aw full a metal health hospitals are that psychiatrists, are pill pushers all the above , makes getting mental health care, the last choice of a person that is suffering. no body likes to go to hospital unless the person wants to go and get the help they need.

Answer 4

Embarrassment mostly... There's still a stigma against people who are mental ill... I think they call 'em crazy even in 2008... How sad. If a person has Cancer they are sick and everyone feels so bad to hear the news... Not so with a Mental condition. They can see it many times so its just scoffed off and forgotten about. Hopefully in the future now that the brain is better understood than ever before we'll be able to put and end to the prejudice agaist the mental ill

Answer 5

Money and available help. Where I live, there is six month waiting period to get into any therapist who offers a reduced rate. If one is able to pay $250 and hour, it only takes a week or two to get into a psychiatrist.

Inadequate health care is a big part of it. The other part is that when someone has a mental health issue, it is hard to be persist and pursue the type of help one needs.

Answer 6

before diagnosis i was doing a job that wasnt ideal for mental health problems and i think the company would have had something to say about it so even though i knew i had problems ididnt dare do anything about it but managed to hide behind working nights so didnt see any one only became a problem when i switched jobs and ended up working days and had to mix with people

Answer 7

Some people won't admit they have a problem or don't know they have one. Others don't want the stigma of having a mental disability. Sometimes people just have to realize, on their own, that they have a problem.

Answer 8

All the answers are right. I would also include that some people are so mentally ill that they are unable to make themselves use the phone or even leave their home. I know,because that was the situation with my son.

Answer 9

I have suffered from panic attacks and anxiety since I was in 7th grade. It is sometimes hard to open up and tell people how you are feeling because you feel like you are the only person in the world that feels this way. Sometimes people are embarrassed about how they feel, and just wait until they can't stand it anymore to say something to someone.

Answer 10

i for one did not think i needed mental health help. but ended up at a ward for about a month. it made me get back on my feet and well i am better off now...