Stigma and discrimination present barriers to seeking help and engaging in care, while current estimates are that mental health conditions will affect one in four people throughout their lifetime, but nearly two thirds of people with mental health conditions will not seek treatment (UN, 2017).

According to a systematic rewiev by Velasco et al. (2020) the most prominent barrier to seeking help concerning mental health services was stigma, followed by negative attitudes and beliefs about mental health services and professionals. Additionally, few studies relate symptom severity with help-seeking, where higher symtopmatology was associated with lower help-seeking intentions.

People will often choose to suffer mental distress without relief, rather than risk the discrimination that comes with accessing mental health services. Yet with the right support, most people with severe mental health conditions can function at a very high social and economic level, maintaining excellent relationships and functioning well in employment (WHO, 2022b).

Low demand for mental health care can also be driven by low levels of health literacy about mental health, including a lack of knowledge and understanding of mental health as well as prevailing beliefs and attitudes on mental health and effective mental health care.

The reality is that most people may not have access to evidence-based information on opportunities that can promote their mental health. Meanwhile, pervasive negative attitudes continue to devalue and perpetuate discrimination against and abuse of people living with mental health conditions (WHO, 2022b).

In a systematic review regarding barriers, facilitators and interventions targeting help-seeking behaviours for common mental health problems in adolescents conducted by Velasco et al. (2020) young people reported a lack of knowledge on mental health and the support system, leading to a sense of insecurity and possibly a delay of help-seeking.

Important findings include the presence of stigma, a lack of knowledge of mental health issues, a longing for self-reliance and a sense of powerlessness expressed by young people in various contexts and countries (Westberg et al., 2022).

Improved health literacy among young people may facilitate help-seeking through mechanisms of awareness of service availability and symptom recognition (Velasco et al., 2020).