Utah Youth Suicide Study: Barriers to Mental Health Treatment for Adolescents

Information from 270 interviews with parents & other survivors was used to evaluate mental health treatment sought for & by 49 adolescents who died by suicide. Barriers to mental health treatment were also investigated. Participants reported the same primary barriers: belief that nothing could help, seeking help is a sign of weakness or failure, reluctance to admit to having mental health problems, denial of problems, & too embarrassed to seek help. It is suggested the stigma of mental illness is a considerable barrier to mental health treatment. (18 refs.)