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It’s no secret that mental health is becoming an increasingly important topic of discussion. While many youths have openly become advocates for mental health at their schools and on social media, many still face a variety of barriers when trying to find help for themselves.
Although resources are available to teenagers and young adults, accessing them can still present challenges due to individual circumstances.
Here are three prominent reasons why youth don’t seek help, and how parents, educators and the community can make it easier for them to ask for support.
Location and transportation
Many youth either do not have a vehicle or have parents who work jobs with hours that don’t allow them the time to drive their children to appointments.
Taking public transportation can also be an issue as there is a cost associated with it, and there can often be scheduling issues or a lack of nearby routes.
In addition, many homeless youth have trouble accessing public transportation altogether, adding yet another obstacle for some of the most vulnerable members of society.
Financial barriers
One issue many youth and families have when seeking help for their mental health is the financial burden that seeing a counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist poses.
While many elementary and high schools have a counsellor on staff, they are often not equipped to deal with more severe issues and have to refer the student to an external source which usually comes with an associated cost.
Many of these students are living in low-income households which means they most often don’t have extra money to spend on treatment.
Shame and stigma
Mental health issues may be easier to talk about today than a decade ago, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a stigma. Many youth feel like there is something wrong with them because of what they’re going through.
They are scared to ask for help because they don’t want to be labelled or judged—by both their peers and their families. If they are feeling judged by their family, opening up and asking for help such as rides to appointments or money for counselling can feel like an insurmountable task.
How do we help youth take the next step?
Creating ease of access, low or zero-cost treatment and reducing the stigma around mental health treatment are very important pieces in encouraging youth to seek the help they need.
Foundry Kelowna is doing all three at once with their Wellness on Wheels bus. A first of its kind in BC, the bus travels to three Central Okanagan communities where there are barriers to accessing mental health services. They provide health and mental health care to young people aged 12 to 24 for free.
The locations the bus visits are convenient, making access easier for youths without reliable access to a vehicle, and to those who may not feel comfortable disclosing to their parents that they need help.
Wellness on Wheels is reducing the stigma of mental health issues with their bright, beautiful bus and positive reach in the community.
What you can do to reduce the stigma is have open and honest conversations with your children or friends, and let them know that there is help if they need it and that you support them.
Learn more about Wellness on Wheels and Foundry Kelowna’s other services.
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