A qualitative study to explore young second-generation British Pakistani men's experiences of help-seeking when distressed

This qualitative study explores young second-generation British Pakistani men’s experiences of help-seeking when distressed. Despite high rates of mental health distress, this group underutilises mental health services. Most existing research focuses solely on their views regarding professional psychological support. This study explores help-seeking more broadly, including why they do not seek professional support and how they seek support to gain an overall understanding of their experiences. Semi-structured interviews with seven British Pakistani men (ages 18-24), were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. One overarching theme, “External help-seeking vs. self-reliance”, comprising three sub-themes highlight the role of cultural factors, stigma and masculine identity in influencing help-seeking behaviours. Participants often managed distress alone, reflecting an internal struggle and ambivalence towards seeking external help. These findings shed light on the complexity of their help-seeking behaviours and suggest how service providers and practitioners can adapt their services to be more accessible, gender-sensitive, and culturally appropriate.