Experience of seeking mental health services; family perspective

The current study aims to address stigma, knowledge and understanding of mental wellbeing, barriers and challenges from the viewpoint of a family member in an attempt to address some of the existing gaps within the literature. The purpose of this study is to explore the experience of seeking mental health services in Ireland, from the perspective of a family member. The study adopts a qualitative approach to examine the subjective experiences of family members and their mental health service experiences by capturing themes in relation to the research question. Eight participants (6 males and 2 females) engaged in semi-structured interviews with the researcher. A thematic analysis was conducted, exposing 5 themes; (1) Hopelessness and Fear, (2) Changes in the family dynamic, (3) Overcoming challenges, (4) Judgement and (5) Desire for change. The findings provide insight into the challenges and experiences of seeking mental health services in Ireland; including the prevalence of stigma, barriers and the need for change in relation to help seeking. Limitations and implications are discussed