Stigma concerns as barriers to help-seeking for a first episode of psychosis: a qualitative study of the experiences of service users, carers and non-health professionals

Background/Objectives: The first onset of psychosis is often a catastrophic health event for individuals and their family carers. If psychotic symptoms are left untreated, the likelihood of long-term reliance on health and social systems increases. Despite a network of Early Intervention Services in the UK, average durations of untreated psychosis (DUP) remain long. A recent review of initiatives to shorten DUP suggests that promoting prompt help-seeking is important, but stigma and lack of insight have been identified as major barriers. Workers in non-health community organisations who are already engaged with…