Challenges and Strategies in Providing Mental Health Services to Young People

Mental health services given to youths are one of the issues marked by the stigma surrounding mental disorders, (Ahmed et al., 2021). A stigma surrounding mental health can be found in the person (internal) and the way it is displayed through society (external). As a result, an individual might want to pretend to be unaffected and try to conceal their problems to let no word out. It does take place in many societies.

Stigmatization can present itself in different aspects, for example, labelling people suffering from mental disorders with a definitive image such as "weak" or "unstable" or as an attempt to segregate them from everyday activities, leading ultimately to isolation, social exclusion and progressively degraded self-esteem. Probably in the case of children and adolescents, stigma could be more of a dreadful disaster as it may lessen their self-esteem, make it hard for them to have a social relationship with their peers, and worsen their academic performance (Levesque et al., 2013).Young people may feel distressed to seek help due to the fear of being ridiculed or stranded, which could prevent them from reaching for support.Stigma makes it difficult for people to engage in any communication about their health, making an already problematic situation worsen.

Supporting diversity and multicultural

Stigma can be especially prevalent in the structure of diverse and multicultural families, particularly for families whose members have different ethnic backgrounds, such as immigrants and refugee communities.

Barriers

Many societies consider mental health problems as shame or dishonour. Traditional belief can consider mental health issues as some spiritual weakness or punishment for the family, and the family system may keep the problem secret because they dont want to see help. Having little command of the local language can create a barrier and affect communication up to the level of healthcare providers (Laver-Bradbury et al., 2021). Because of this, family members who experience mental disturbances are often unable to articulate their needs or understand medical information. Consequently, this can exacerbate stigma. Additionally, social factors also limit the affordability of visiting mental health services.

Enablers

Being a part of a strong community within the immigrant group may build up a sense of belonging and support, which provides anopportunity to obtain alternate outlets for discussing mental health. The role of community leaders in contributing to eradicating stigma and highlighting those with mental disorders should be necessary (Levesque et al., 2013). Translation is one of the most essential tools for a mental health provider; it helps reveal language and cultural forms that might define the mental health perception. Establishing mental health services that appreciate the significance of cultural upbringing, religious views, and traditions can increase inclusiveness and lower the stigma among people (National Mental Health Commission, 2023). Direct campaigns in communities where immigrants dwell can be utilised to counter wrong beliefs and teach the general populace about mental health. The community may grow open conversations and counter harmful stereotypes, which can be achieved by interacting with respected people living within it.

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