Insidious Trauma, Heteronormative Steeping, and Help-seeking: Exploring the Rural Non-Heterosexual Experience

Non-heterosexual (NH) individuals are often exposed to stressors based on their non-heterosexual status and, therefore, may have unique needs related to help-seeking for mental health, especially in rural areas where residents are more likely to identify as religious or conservative, groups that have historically been opposed to NH individuals. This study was completed to explore the lives of 10 non-heterosexual individuals in rural northern Michigan related to their daily encounters with minority stress and their experiences with help-seeking for mental health symptomology. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted, and transcriptions were analyzed to identify the occurrence of traumatic experiences at a systemic/interpersonal level, subsequent internalization of those experiences, how that prompted the need for counseling, and the individual experiences within those therapeutic encounters. Thematic analysis identified three themes: (a) experiences of distal stressors and proximal stress reactions related to environmental and interpersonal interactions, (b) heteronormativity and heterosexism within the help-seeking process, and (c) suggestions for improving the help-seeking process. The results of this study include increasing awareness of, and focus on, the NH population in rural northern Michigan, which may have increased negative experiences based on minimal community acceptance, few affirming and diversity-educated mental health provider options, and negative provider reactions. The knowledge generated from this study could lead to increased awareness of the insidious environmental trauma experienced by NH individuals in rural conservative areas and reduce the disparities for this population by improving provider awareness and services.

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Urban Mental Health (Oxford Cultural Psychiatry series)

10.1093/med/9780198804949.001.0001 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Internal Migration ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Rapid Urbanization ◽

Urban Mental Health ◽

The Past

The internal migration in countries around the globe as a result of rapid urbanization and related to industrialization as a consequence of globalization has been truly remarkable. The past 50 years have seen a massive rise in the numbers of people moving and creating megapolis in many parts of the world. It is inevitable that with such massive internal migration come stressors such as pollution, lack of space, overcrowding, unemployment, and increased likelihood of infectious diseases, all of which contribute to an increase in psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, such migration can also lead to the splintering of social support and the fraying of social networks, which can further contribute to poor help-seeking and poor therapeutic adherence and poor prognosis. This book highlights challenges in managing mental health and psychiatric disorders in urban areas. The contributors include researchers, clinicians, urban planners, urban designers, and others who are interested in the field. The book will appeal to all mental health professionals, whether they are working in urban areas or rural areas.

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“We’re Going Through a Lot of Struggles That People Don’t Even Know About”

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988312441520 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

pp. 354-364 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Michael A. Lindsey ◽

Arik V. Marcell

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Social Network ◽

Health Care System ◽

Black Males ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Relationship Closeness ◽

Mental Health Interventions ◽

The Individual ◽

Care System

Young adult Black males face challenges related to addressing their mental health needs, yet there is much more to know about their help-seeking experiences. Twenty-seven Black males, recruited from four community-based organizations, participated in four focus groups to explore perceptions of help-seeking for mental health. Identified themes, which function at individual, social network, community, and health care system levels, may facilitate or hinder Black males’ mental health help-seeking. Themes included (a) “taking care of it oneself” as opposed to seeking help from someone; (b) issues engaging sources of help, including the ability to trust providers or the relationship closeness with social network members; and (c) “tipping points” that activate help-seeking to avert crises. Study findings provide initial evidence about the importance of addressing mental health interventions for Black males on multiple levels beyond the individual including engaging men’s social supports, community, and the health care system.

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals

QJM ◽

10.1093/qjmed/hcaa207 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 113 (9) ◽

pp. 613-617 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

M D Braquehais ◽

S Vargas-Cáceres ◽

E Gómez-Durán ◽

G Nieva ◽

S Valero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Traumatic Experiences ◽

Personal Factors ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Material Resources ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact

Summary Introduction Healthcare professionals (HPs) have been confronted by unprecedented traumatic experiences during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, especially in countries that had not experienced similar epidemic outbreaks in recent years. Aim To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of HPs. Method We comprehensively reviewed the studies published in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science and Google Scholar between December 2019 and May 2020. Results Most studies report a high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among HPs that can be associated with: (i) COVID-19 exposure; (ii) epidemiological issues; (iii) material resources; (iv) human resources; and (v) personal factors. The role of certain variables, before, during and after the pandemic, remains unexplored. Longitudinal studies will help elucidate which factors are associated with a higher risk of developing long-lasting negative effects. Qualitative studies may contribute to understanding the influence of individual and social narratives in HPs’ distress. Conclusion A deeper analysis on the individual, institutional, political and socio-cultural factors, meanings and values influencing HPs distress and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic is needed.

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Seeking Psychosocial Care After Interpersonal Violence: An Integrative Model

Violence and Victims ◽

10.1891/0886-6708.24.3.322 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 322-336 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Viola Schreiber ◽

Babette Renneberg ◽

Andreas Maercker

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Interpersonal Violence ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Traumatic Event ◽

Psychosocial Care ◽

Theoretical Models ◽

Integrative Model ◽

The Individual

Many people experience a traumatic event at least once in their lifetime. But only a fraction of those traumatized and in need of mental health care receive psychosocial care or treatment. This may be due to barriers people experience within the help-seeking process. The individual help-seeking process is consequently highly relevant for any mental health care for trauma survivors. Understanding why people refrain from asking for help or delay the help-seeking process is central to understanding help-seeking after traumatization. Based on empirical data and theoretical models, an integrative model of individual mental health help-seeking is developed. This integrative model delineates parameters relevant for seeking psychosocial care or refraining from it.

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Features of Mental Health Service Provision During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Specialists Who Work with Suicide Prevention in Rural Areas

Psichologija ◽

10.15388/psichol.2021.38 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 64 ◽

pp. 23-37

Author(s):

Austėja Agnietė Čepulienė ◽

Said Dadašev ◽

Dovilė Grigienė ◽

Miglė Marcinkevičiūtė ◽

Greta Uržaitė ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Service Provision ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Health Service Provision ◽

Mental Health Service Provision

The COVID-19 pandemic can influence the situation of suicide rates and mental health in rural regions even more than in major cities. The aim of the current study was to explore the functioning of mental health service provision during the COVID-19 pandemic through interviews with mental health professionals and other specialists who work with suicide prevention in rural areas. Thirty specialists were interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. The following codes were identified during the thematic analysis: providing help during the pandemic (mental health professionals and institutions adapted to the conditions of the pandemic, remote counselling makes providing help more difficult, the help is less reachable); help-seeking during the pandemic (people seek less help because of the pandemic, seeking remote help is easier, the frequency of help seeking didn’t change); the effects and governing of the pandemic situation (the pandemic can have negative effects on mental health; after the pandemic mental health might get worse; the governing of the pandemic situation in Lithuania could be more fluent). The current study reveals positive aspects of mental health professionals’ adaptivity during the pandemic, as well as severe problems which are related to the access to the mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Pracitcum report: virtual mental health program

10.24124/2021/59205 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Michelle Bembridge

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Health Program ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Mental Health Program ◽

Small Communities ◽

Delivery Options

People who reside in rural areas are faced with ongoing barriers to accessing mental health services. A number of aspects of rural life such as the rural community, social networks, and limited access to service all have particular implications for people experiencing mental health issues. Additional issues such as the effect of rural culture on help-seeking for mental illness, the lack of anonymity in small communities and the difficulty to maintain confidence, and mental health and addictions stigma may further impact the recognition, treatment, and maintenance of mental health problems for people in rural and remote locations. Providing mental health services to residents in these places requires creative and flexible service delivery options. This practicum report details my experience with the Virtual Mental Health Program at Alberta Health Services and highlights the role that social workers play in delivering mental health services in underserved locations as well as the potentials for further developing these services.

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Rural mental health

Advances in Psychiatric Treatment ◽

10.1192/apt.bp.107.005009 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 302-311 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Laura Anne Nicholson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Rural Communities ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Health Problems ◽

Rural Mental Health ◽

Rural Culture ◽

Definition Of

A significant proportion of people live and work in rural areas, and rural mental health is important wherever psychiatry is practised. There are inherent difficulties in conducting rural research, due in part to the lack of an agreed definition of rurality. Mental health is probably better in rural areas, with the exception of suicide, which remains highest in male rural residents. A number of aspects of rural life (such as the rural community, social networks, problems with access, and social exclusion) may all have particular implications for people with mental health problems. Further issues such as the effect of rural culture on help-seeking for mental illness, anonymity in small rural communities and stigma may further affect the recognition, treatment and maintenance of mental health problems for people in rural areas. Providing mental health services to remote and rural locations may be challenging.

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Lived Experience, Transparency, Help, and Humility: Four Characteristics of Clergy Responding to Mental and Emotional Problems

Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling Advancing theory and professional practice through scholarly and reflective publications ◽

10.1177/1542305019872437 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 74 (1) ◽

pp. 4-11

Author(s):

Krystal Hays ◽

Jennifer Shepard Payne

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Emotional Problems ◽

Individual Characteristics ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

The Individual

Many individuals who experience mental and emotional problems prefer support from clergy instead of formal mental health services. Because clergy are often sought out by those with mental illnesses, it is essential to understand their perspectives about mental and emotional problems and identify the individual characteristics that influence these perspectives. This study utilized qualitative data from a conversation among pastors in an online social networking group to examine the characteristics of clergy who held affirming attitudes toward professional mental health services. Thirty-five pastors participated in the discussion, generating more than 140 comments over 13 days in response to the question: “If the church is where we are to come for healing, how do we handle people who are depressed, suicidal, suffering from PTSD or anxiety?” Thematic analysis was conducted, and results suggest four characteristics common among clergy: personal experiences with mental and emotional problems, transparency in sharing their stories, personal help-seeking, and humility. These four characteristics may influence clergy members’ present-day understanding and responses to mental and emotional problems. Implications for spiritual care professionals and mental health professionals are presented.

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Possibility and Constraint in the Lives of Young Rural Workers in the United States: The Psychology of Working and Post-Trauma Vocational Trajectories

Emerging Adulthood ◽

10.1177/2167696820957812 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 216769682095781

Author(s):

Donna Marie San Antonio ◽

Janet Kaplan-Bucciarelli

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Future Orientation ◽

The United States ◽

Traumatic Experiences ◽

Research Participants ◽

Rural Workers ◽

The Individual ◽

Psychology Of Working

Work and wellness have long been linked in the field of psychology, but few researchers have studied this topic with rural emerging adults without a high school diploma. Overall, rural areas in the United States have higher rates of poverty and lower educational attainment than nonrural areas. This narrative inquiry illuminates how precariousness in home and school contexts influenced the work trajectories and aspirations of ten 20- to 25-year-old research participants. Findings contribute to the psychology of working theory by illuminating the individual and contextual factors that generated possibility and constraint in the lives of young workers with limited education and significant adverse experiences. While traumatic experiences continued to trouble the lives of research participants, there was also evidence of post-traumatic growth, the construction of aspirational narratives, and positive future orientation. Community mentors, including teachers and employers, made a difference. Implications for educators and counselors are discussed.

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Lifecourse-varying exposure to structural stigma, minority stress reactions, and mental health among sexual minority male migrants

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.282 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

A van der Star ◽

R Bränström ◽

J Pachankis

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sexual Minority ◽

Minority Stress ◽

Sexual Minorities ◽

Prolonged Exposure ◽

Rejection Sensitivity ◽

Internalized Homophobia ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Stress Reactions ◽

Population Attitudes

Abstract Background Increasing evidence suggests that structural stigma (e.g., discriminatory laws, policies, and population attitudes) can give rise to minority stress reactions (i.e., rejection sensitivity, internalized homophobia, and identity concealment) to compromise sexual minorities' mental health. Yet, many sexual minorities encounter divergent structural-stigma contexts over the life course, with potentially important implications for their experience of minority stress reactions and mental health. We take advantage of sexual minority male migrants' lifecourse-varying exposures to structural stigma contexts to examine this possibility. Methods A sample of 247 sexual minority men who had migrated from 71 countries to the low-structural-stigma context of Sweden completed a survey regarding migration experiences, minority stress reactions, and mental health. This survey was linked to objective indices of structural stigma present in these men's countries of origin, diverse in terms of structural stigma. Results Country-of-origin structural stigma was significantly associated with poor mental health and this association was mediated by rejection sensitivity and internalized homophobia, but only among those who arrived to Sweden at an older age and more recently. Conclusions Prolonged exposure to high levels of structural stigma can give rise to stressful cognitive, affective, and behavioral patterns to jeopardize sexual minority men's mental health; yet, these consequences of structural stigma may wane with increased duration of exposure to more supportive structural contexts.

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