Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Friends and family first port of call for people with mental health problems Story at Psychiatry Matters, based on an article published in the British Journal of Psychiatry - "People with minor mental health problems are more likely to seek help from friends and family than from health professionals, reveal study findings that also show many people, particularly males, choose not to seek any form of help. ... 'People suffering from psychiatric symptoms, even if severe, often do not seek professional help,' observe Maria Isabel Oliver (Health Protection Agency South West, Gloucestershire) and colleagues. ... The researchers therefore sought to investigate whether patients with mental health problems, if not seeking help from their physician, are turning to other sources of help."