Understanding Help Seeking Delay in the Prodrome to First Episode Psychosis: A Secondary Analysis of the Perspectives of Young People.

Abstract

First episode psychosis represents a critical period for intervention to prevent future impairments and to initiate optimal interventions. Using an interpretive interactionist framework, a secondary analysis of interview transcripts was conducted based on the narratives of youth experiences of psychosis. Our goal was to better understand the factors involved in the decision to seek help (or not) from the mental health system. Findings suggest that help seeking is a social process involving a wide range of influences; two such influences are highlighted in this paper, an individual avoidant strategy of ignoring and hiding early symptoms, and the persuasive influence of significant others in the social network.

Reshaping an enduring sense of self: the process of recovery from a first episode of schizophrenia

“…Although, these young adults were in the process of defining themselves and seeking independence, they still needed the assistance of parents/adults in seeking help. Boydell et al (2006) also highlight that the role of adults in the lives of young people are a prominent influence in initiating help-seeking.…”

“…This disruption proved to be difficult for participants in a number of ways, including having a significant impact on their sense of self. Addington, van Mastrigt, Hutchinson and Addington (2002) (as cited in Boydell, Gladstone, & Volpe 2006), describe the process of becoming psychotic as a disruption which is potentially devastating for the individual and those around them, disturbing social networks and relationships with family and peers, as well as disrupting school, work, and occupational functioning.…”

“…Boydell et al (2006) also found that significant delays occurred between the emergence of symptoms and the initiation of treatment in part because "psychosis is often overlooked or misdiagnosed by doctors" (p. 54). Furthermore, half of the participants described that their symptoms continued untreated until an urgent help-seeking response (akin to a crisis) was required.…”

Conditional Disclosure on Pathways to Care: Coping Preferences of Young People at Risk of Psychosis

“…Individual interviews were used to generate descriptions and interpretations of people's lived experiences, subjective social worlds, and the meanings assigned to these. Such subjective accounts are well suited to understanding how young people's help-seeking and service use are experienced and negotiated, and potential barriers encountered in this process (Boydell, Gladstone, & Volpe, 2006). …”

“That little doorway where I could suddenly start shouting out”: Barriers and enablers to the disclosure of distressing voices

“…Barriers and enablers to the disclosure of distressing voice Feared negative responses from others and internalized self-stigma may result in the hearer choosing to keep voices a secret (Boydell et al, 2006;Vilhauer, 2017). Milligan et al (2013) proposed that help-seeking tends not to occur until the individual encounters a crisis regarding their experience with voices.…”