Young people's help-seeking behaviours: dealing with their own versus a friend's symptoms of poor mental health

The majority of young people dealing with symptoms of poor mental health experience difficulties seeking help. Reasons like public stigma, lack of trust in available resources, or severity of symptoms, all influence help-seeking behaviours. Additionally, adolescents are more likely to talk to their friends when experiencing symptoms of poor mental health. However, it is still unclear how young people cope with a friend's disclosure of such symptoms. Understanding the different coping strategies used when dealing with their own and a friend's symptoms could help us provide better mental health support to young people experiencing mental health difficulties.