ABSTRACT
Over the course of the last decades, the post-socialist societies have been enduring high levels of mental distress, while reporting relatively low treatment rates, which suggests a considerable treatment gap and delay. This article examines how the design and functioning of the mental healthcare system and, particularly, the structure of its inner power relations influences mental healthcare seeking in Lithuania. Employing the theoretical stances of Pierre Bourdieu and Norbert Elias, 23 in-depth interviews with healthcare providers and users of services, who suffer from depression or anxiety disorders, are analyzed. It is concluded that while mental healthcare appears to be relatively accessible it is not necessarily acceptable or humane.
Acknowledgments
The earlier versions of this article were presented at the 17th Biennial Conference of European Society for Health and Medical Sociology (ESHMS) in Lisbon (Portugal), the 26th International Conference of Europeanists in Madrid (Spain), and the RC19 Annual Conference (Research Committee on Poverty, Social Welfare, and Social Policy of the International Sociological Association) in Mannheim (Germany). I would like to thank those who commented on the article for their valuable insights.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Correction Statement
This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.
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Sigita Doblytė
Sigita Doblytė is a Ph.D. candidate and researcher at the Research Group “Promoting Employment and Welfare in Europe„ (PROMEBI), Department of Sociology, University of Oviedo (Spain). Her research focuses on health inequalities and behaviors, comparative health policy, mental health, medicalization of society, and power relations.