While roughly three-quarters of global employees say seeking help for mental health is an essential aspect of maintaining well-being, 60 per cent believe societal attitudes discourage seeking mental-health care, according to a new survey by wellness platform BetterHelp.
The survey, which polled more than 16,000 employees across 23 countries, found 37 per cent of generation Z said those who seek counselling are “mentally weak,” compared to 27 per cent of millennials, generation X and baby boomers combined. However, the survey noted gen-Zers were more than two-times as likely as baby boomers to report mild to moderate anxiety and almost four-times as likely to experience severe anxiety.
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Respondents who spend more than four hours a day on social media are significantly more likely than those who spend less time online to believe mental-health care doesn’t improve well-being (47 per cent), that therapy rarely solves personal problems (42 per cent) and feel judged for seeking help (47 per cent).
Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of parents with children younger than age 18 said it’s wise to seek help even when nothing is wrong, yet more than a third (34 per cent) said they see people who seek help as “different” in a negative way.
The survey also found, despite higher engagement with mental-health services, underrepresented groups faced significant barriers such as transportation issues (62 per cent), limited provider access (57 per cent) and cost (31 per cent), making it challenging to obtain adequate mental-health support.
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