Abstract:
Background: Help seeking actions and preferences are important in mental health because mental illnesses are
treatable and manageable, and persons dealing with them can lead normal lives. This study seeks to assess the
help-seeking behaviour and preferences for Mental disorders among of adolescents in an Urban District in Abuja,
Nigeria.
Methods: This was descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted between August and October, 2021 among 405
adolescents in an Urban District in Abuja. Sampling was done using multistage sampling method. Ethical approval
was granted by Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria .
Results: Adolescents show average help seeking behaviour. Majority (72.3%) agreed that mental illness is treatable
and will seek advice first from parent or guardian (86.7%). Most preferred to get treatment in a hospital (79.7%)
and to see a doctor (78.5%), about half (52.1%) prefer treatment from family and 79.8% preferred getting treatment
from friends. Two thirds (67.5%) do not want treatment in a traditional home or by a traditional healer (61.2%) and
42.5% would not want to be treated in a mosque and church while 32.3% do not want to be treated by a religious
leader. Adolescent’s stated the following actions would help to improve appropriate help seeking stopping drug
addictions (25.6%), avoiding worry or thinking too much (21.4%), speaking up on mental health issues (15.8%),
creating awareness (20.6%), avoiding risk factors of mental illness (11.6%) , “stop stigmatization”(19.5%), seeking
advice (17.2%), “protecting people with mental illness”(16.7%), showing love (5.6%), care from government (10.2%).
Concerning the best action if an adolescent develops mental illness, 40.8% stated that hospital treatment is best help
seeking action for mental illness, 18.8% stated parents, 13.1% stated church or mosque, 25.9% said a psychiatric
hospital, 1.4% said punishment and detention. is best appropriate help seeking for mental illness.
Conclusion: Adolescents showed an average help-seeking behaviour and preferences which suggests the need for
health education and promotion for the need for early diagnosis, treatment to enhance health outcomes, and boost
mental health.
