PERCEPTIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP-SEEKING AMONG THE GENERAL POPULATION: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION

Abstract

The phenomenon of seeking psychological help is influenced by beliefs, norms from sociocultural backgrounds, and the availability of resources for this process in society. Various campaigns on global health awareness have developed lately; nevertheless, people still face certain obstacles when it comes to their access to psychological help. The current qualitative study aimed at exploring the attitudes of adults from different sociocultural backgrounds towards seeking psychological help, as well as the psychological and social obstacles they faced while doing this. The qualitative phenomenological method was applied and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 adults aged between 21 and 54. The data collected during the interviews were processed applying Braun and Clarke (2006) six-phase reflexive thematic analysis.Five primary themes emerged from the data: (1) Public Stigma and the 'Log Kya Kahenge' (Social Judgment) Phenomenon, (2) Self-Stigma and Internalized Vulnerability, (3) Socio-Cultural Expectations and Generational Divide, (4) Financial Strain and Systemic Accessibility Hurdles, and (5) Confidentiality Concerns and Institutional Trust. Findings indicate that although young adults are increasingly open to counseling, widespread fear of society, economic issues and absence of mental health knowledge continue to be major limitations. The study suggests that it is of utmost importance to undertake community-level awareness initiatives, subsidized psychological services and culturally competent therapeutic practices in order to foster the idea of seeking psychological assistance for all age groups.