Isla’s blog post – everyone deserves accessible mental healthcare

The topic I would like to research is the inaccesibility of mental healthcare for young people and people with a lower income, because the effects of inaccessible mental healthcare are profound and far-reaching, impacting individuals, communities, and society at large. Just a few days ago I witnessed a real-life example of this: a friend of mine said she needs therapy and wants professional help for her issues, but can’t, because the waits and lines to get any help are obscenely long, and utilizing the private sector is way too expensive. I feel like this is the situation many people are facing. People with a lower income aren’t able to afford mental healthcare and get the vital help in time. When individuals cannot access help in time or get appropriate treatment, their mental health concerns may escalate, leading to more severe symptoms, increased risk of self-harm or suicide, and higher rates of hospitalizations. Without the neccessary support, individuals may resort to self-medication or coping mechanisms that are harmful and further deteriorating to their mental health. It not only affects the individual but also places additional strain on emergency healthcare services. In my project I would like to research lower threshold options, and make them more accessible and known within people who need them.

Factors that have contributed to this issue are for example the high demand for mental healthcare services and the inability to meet the demand and the lack of sufficent funding from the government. A big underlying cause of the issue is the stigma surrounding mental ilnesses, the fact that people are still nowadays uncomfortable or unable to show “weakness” or vulnerability. At the same time, the lack of accessible mental healthcare perpetuates the stigma surrounding mental illness, contributing to the isolation experienced by those seeking help. When individuals face obstacles in accessing mental health support, they may feel discouraged from seeking assistance or sharing their struggles openly.

Within this issue, the most important stakeholders are firstly the individuals affected- the people unable to get enough help. Other stakeholders are the professionals of the field and the people making decisions in the government. From my understaning, the professionals of the field are doing the best they can to combat the national mental health crisis, but simply have insufficent funding and personnel. The well-being of everyone is beneficial for everyone, the communities and society as a whole, and it is the reason both professionals and decision makers are interested and should take action concerning this.