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Volume 14
Issue 9
10.3390/socsci14090529
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

“You Have the Choice of Whether You’re Going to Get Help or Attempt Suicide”: Exploring the Process and Impact of Mental Health Help-Seeking with Young People (16–25 Years)

by
Louise Lynch
1,*,
Anne Moorhead
1,
Maggie Long
2 and
Isobel Hawthorne-Steele
3
1
School of Communication and Media, Institute for Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, York Street, Belfast BT15 1AP, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK
2
School of Communication and Media, Centre for Communication and Media Research, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science, Ulster University, York Street, Belfast BT15 1AP, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK
3
School of Applied Social and Policy Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, York Street, Belfast BT15 1AP, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(9), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14090529 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 27 June 2025 / Revised: 25 August 2025 / Accepted: 27 August 2025 / Published: 31 August 2025
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Background: Youth suicide is a global issue and a type of death that can be prevented through early access to evidence-based mental health interventions, which can contribute to improved quality of life as well as health, educational and employment outcomes. Young people are encouraged to seek help for mental health problems, yet help-seeking rates remain low. Objective: The aim of this research was to explore how young people with a mental health problem decide to search and ask for professional help, and the impact of help-seeking experiences. Methods: Young people aged 16–25 years with experiences of help-seeking to mental health services were recruited (N = 18). Data analysis was informed by Constructivist Grounded Theory methods, and the findings were presented across four sub-categories: 1. Deciding to Seek Help; 2. Searching for the Right Help; 3. Reflecting on Help-seeking Experiences; and 4. Living with the Impacts of Help-seeking. Findings: Young people sought help often while highly distressed and required the skills and resources of a family member or friend to access the right type of help. Help-seeking was multi-episodic and had lasting positive and negative impacts. Young people’s help-seeking patterns were found to be similar to the ways in which they problem-solve in learning contexts, and the concept of a formal help-seeking skillset was presented.
Keywords: young people; mental health; help-seeking; early intervention; youth suicide; healthcare experiences; constructivist grounded theory young people; mental health; help-seeking; early intervention; youth suicide; healthcare experiences; constructivist grounded theory

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Lynch, L.; Moorhead, A.; Long, M.; Hawthorne-Steele, I. “You Have the Choice of Whether You’re Going to Get Help or Attempt Suicide”: Exploring the Process and Impact of Mental Health Help-Seeking with Young People (16–25 Years). Soc. Sci. 2025, 14, 529. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14090529

AMA Style

Lynch L, Moorhead A, Long M, Hawthorne-Steele I. “You Have the Choice of Whether You’re Going to Get Help or Attempt Suicide”: Exploring the Process and Impact of Mental Health Help-Seeking with Young People (16–25 Years). Social Sciences. 2025; 14(9):529. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14090529

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lynch, Louise, Anne Moorhead, Maggie Long, and Isobel Hawthorne-Steele. 2025. "“You Have the Choice of Whether You’re Going to Get Help or Attempt Suicide”: Exploring the Process and Impact of Mental Health Help-Seeking with Young People (16–25 Years)" Social Sciences 14, no. 9: 529. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14090529

APA Style

Lynch, L., Moorhead, A., Long, M., & Hawthorne-Steele, I. (2025). “You Have the Choice of Whether You’re Going to Get Help or Attempt Suicide”: Exploring the Process and Impact of Mental Health Help-Seeking with Young People (16–25 Years). Social Sciences, 14(9), 529. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14090529

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