Delay in seeking treatment for depression. Perceptions of patients with depressive disorders

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to explore the perceptions and convictions of patients diagnosed with depressive disorder, which related to delayed seek for treatment. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten patients diagnosed with depression, from a public psychiatric hospital and a Mental Health Center. The research material was analysed through Thematic Analysis. From the collected material and the analysis, four main themes were emerged: (a) inability to assess psychopathological symptoms by patients, (b) endogenous/individual features that contribute to delaying seeking treatment, (c) barriers to access mental health services and (d) the role of the family/supportive environment in seeking treatment for depression. Themes include specific factors affecting delayed seeking for treatment. These factors seem to be the perceived stigma, patients’ beliefs and personal views/attitudes, as well as external/practical or environmental barriers, such as lack of resources within health services, lack of information /literacy in mental health and perceptions of the family members aboutmental illness. It is necessary to carry out mental health reforms and also to organize campaigns aimed at raising awareness-informing the population and reducing the therapeutic gap in depressive disorder and more widely in mental illness.