Mental health literacy level and barriers to seeking mental health counseling in adults

Mental health literacy level and barriers to seeking mental health counseling in adultsM ental health literacy provides the knowledge base nec- essary for mental health promotion, prevention, and care of disorders.It creates a comprehensive structure by focusing on improving both mental health and mental health care outcomes using these core components. [1]Mental health literacy is not only about knowing mental health but also about envisaging improvements and enhancements in community mental health in light of this information. [2]Improving mental health literacy contributes to individuals seeking and receiving counseling. [3]Counseling has an important place in mental health literacy. [4]Enhancing the mental health literacy level of individuals in society contributes to the early diagnosis of psychological disorders and the determination of appropriate interventions. [1]rly identification and intervention of psychological distress is critical to alleviating the negative consequences and symptoms of untreated mental illness. [5]Help-seeking behaviour is a fundamental part of mental health literacy, and access to personalised and appropriate care is vital to improving mental health. [6]Many issues such as social stigma, limited access Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the level of mental health literacy and the barriers to seeking mental health counseling in adults. Methods:The study employed a descriptive and cross-sectional design.Data were collected between January 2, 2023, and March 31, 2023, by reaching individuals across Turkey through online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, using Google Forms and snowball sampling.The data collection process was completed with 348 participants.The Personal Information Form, Mental Health Literacy Scale, and Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Counseling Scale were used for data collection. Results:The mean score of the Mental Health Literacy Scale (12.373.14)was average, while the mean score for the Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Counseling Scale (70.4620.94)was below average.A negative correlation was found between mental health literacy and barriers to seeking mental health counseling (p<0.05).Conclusion: Among the barriers to seeking mental health counseling, the most critical factors affecting mental health literacy levels were lack of knowledge, limited access to resources, negative perceived value, emotional discomfort, and cultural barriers.It is recommended that future studies more comprehensively identify these barriers and the influencing factors.