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It’s no secret that mental health is an issue that affects us all. Whether you’re aware of it or not, there’s a good chance that someone in your life has been affected by mental health problems. The reason for this is simple: mental illness is everywhere.
Yet despite its prevalence, mental health treatment still carries a stigma—a stigma that prevents people from seeking help or even admitting they’ve been affected by a mental illness.
We want to know why this is the case. Why are people afraid to get mental health treatment? And what can we do to change the way people view mental illness?
This article will discuss the factors that contribute to the stigma around mental health care.
We will also talk about the benefits of counselling sessions online and how they may help people face their anxieties and seek treatment.
7 Reasons Why People Fear Receiving Mental Health Treatment
We have a long way to go regarding mental health treatment. Even though about one in five Australians suffer from mental illness each year, stigma and fear surround treatment.
The stigma surrounding mental health is a major reason many don’t seek treatment. And with good reason — there’s still a lot of misinformation about what it means to have a mental illness, which can make it even more difficult for those suffering from one to seek help.
Mental health professionals know that many people fear receiving treatment for their mental illness, but there are many reasons for this fear. Here are seven of them:
- The fear of social stigma
People fear that others will judge them negatively if they receive treatment for their mental illness. They think being open about their condition may lead to discrimination in the workplace or even at home. They also worry that friends and family might distance themselves from them after finding out about their condition. This fear makes them keep their condition to themselves even if they badly need help.
- The fear of losing control
People with mental illness may feel uncomfortable making themselves vulnerable to a mental health professional and giving up control over their treatment plan. Sometimes, they may feel too ashamed to seek help because they don’t want to appear weak or unreliable.
- The fear of not knowing what to expect
Many people fear receiving treatment because they don’t know what will happen during their first appointment with a therapist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professionals. Not everyone who enters therapy clearly knows what they’ll encounter there or if it will be beneficial. They have no idea how long it will take or what treatments will be most effective.
Some patients worry about being asked questions about their personal lives, while others fear that their therapist will try to force them into taking medications or going through therapy against their will.
- The fear of having to relive painful memories
Receiving mental health treatment requires patients to share their experiences with a therapist or psychiatrist. This can be scary for someone who feels ashamed or embarrassed about what they experienced in their past. Mental health treatment can bring up difficult memories and feelings for many people. They may not feel ready to deal with these issues.
- Fear of being blamed for their mental illness
People who suffer from mental illnesses often feel like they are somehow responsible for their condition. They may feel that they should have been able to control it or prevent it from occurring in the first place. This can cause people with mental illnesses to feel guilty about themselves and their conditions which leads them to avoid getting help because they don’t want others to blame them for having a mental illness.
- Fear of not being able to afford treatment
Another reason why people fear getting mental health treatment is because they don’t think they can afford it. Many insurance companies do not cover mental health care as they do with other medical services like physical therapy or surgery. This means that patients must pay out-of-pocket for their treatment, which is often very expensive. However, most mental health counsellors provide flexible payment plans to allow people of all income levels to get therapy.
- Fear of it not working
Many people who have tried therapy in the past have been disappointed when it didn’t help them as much as they hoped it would. This can make them wary of trying again in case they experience similar results.
How Online Counselling Sessions May Reduce Mental Health Stigma
Mental health stigma is a real problem. It’s the reason why many people are afraid to get mental health treatment in the first place.
But what if there was a way to reduce this stigma? What if you could get the help you need online, where no one would know you were seeking mental health help?
Well, there is! Mental health services online have been shown to reduce mental health stigma by helping people feel more comfortable talking about their problems. It also gives them the privacy and security they may not be able to find elsewhere.
Online counselling services makes therapy more accessible to people who otherwise wouldn’t have access. It can also help reduce mental health stigma by keeping the client anonymous and using a safe online platform for communication with qualified mental health counsellors.