Minority voices: Research into the access and acceptability of ... - MMC

! Awareness of mental health and mental health service provision/CAMHS“You can’t talk about your worries and ask someone for help unless you know them. If I hadfriends, I might talk to them but I don’t so I keep it to myself…” (Young refugee)This was a recurrent theme in the interviews and focus groups. Fears of stigma and generalreluctance to talk about their worries, unless it was with someone they knew and trusted, werewidely held views. Mental health was also seen as madness or very serious illness, and assuch, not applicable to them. Others indicated that they would not talk about their difficultiesfor fear of being seen as silly or stupid - as one young person explained, talking to friends wasimpossible because:“They might laugh…I would laugh at my friends.” (Young refugee)A number of young people talked about considerable difficulties in finding out where to go oncethey (or their families) had realised that they had problems, with several saying that they hadtried telephoning the emergency services (999). Some suggested that they thought that GPsonly dealt with practical or physical problems or were for older people only. Others had similarbeliefs about Connexions, thinking this dealt with issues such as education and housing only.Apart from a lack of information about where to go and what to expect, quite a few of theyoung people we met had encountered problems in trying to get help. These included:• Long wait times for appointments.• Having to travel some distance to get to a service.• No interpreter and being told they would have to return at a later date if they requiredthis support.• Sense of being ‘passed around’ with no explanation as to why they were being referredon.• Having to re-tell their story to different professionals.• Services only being available at times that were not convenient for them (clashes withcollege or school).For those who had received help from mental health services/CAMHS the following were noted:• A lack of information about what different CAMHS staff did, who they would see andwhat would happen.• A lack of information about medication - especially what might happen when the dose isreduced or stopped.• A lack of support post discharge from a service - suggesting a need for much betterlinks and information about other services that young people can continue to getsupport from if they feel they still need this.“I was in hospital after taking an overdose and the hospital said I had to stay until I saw apsychiatrist. I didn’t know what a psychiatrist was or what they would do, I thought theyworked with mad people, not me.” (Young person with experience of using CAMHS)! Confidentiality“It was daunting because I didn’t like to think anyone would see me going into the CAMHS,especially as it is very close to where I live. Didn’t want people to think I was mad or weird,it’s a stigma. Telling people in CAMHS about problems was difficult at first, they may havethought I was mad or told other people…” (Young person with experience of using CAMHS)Many young people highlighted their concerns about the stigma of being in contact with mentalhealth services and services did not appear to have communicated their confidentiality policiesclearly. Young people were worried that friends and family would find out about theirMinority Voices Research Report26