International Journal of Global Mental Health, Innovation, Policy, Action, Culture & Transformation

A significant common reason for reduced help seeking behaviour is stigma. The current study explored the relation between help seeking attitudes and mental health stigma (self and perceived) on the youth of India. For this purpose, the research deployed Self-Stigma of Help Seeking Scale (SSOSH), Perception of Stigmatization by Others for Seeking Help (PSOSH), and General Help-Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ). The research was conducted on a sample of young adults belonging to the age group of 18-26. The sample size was 140 young adults. For data analysis, SPSS was used to examine the relationship between variables using Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Based on this, it was determined that self-stigma and perceived stigma impact on the help-seeking attitudes among young individuals affecting their decisions to seek help from informal and formal sources. It was found that there is a significant relationship between Self-Stigma and Perceived Stigma. In the 2 vignettes that were presented, there was a significant negative relation found between Self Stigma, Perceived Stigma and Help- seeking in the case of ‘suicide ideation’. On the other hand, for the ‘emotional problem’ vignette, Self-Stigma was significantly and negatively related with informal sources. However, there was no significant relationship between self-stigma and formal sources. For perceived stigma, there is no significant relationship with informal and formal sources of help-seeking for emotional problems.

Introduction: Perspectives towards death have been largely negative across cultures, where fear, anxiety and avoidance have been prevalent practices in the face of death. Yet certain religions provide frameworks that signify the need to foster acceptance of mortality. Based on Tibetan Buddhism, the concept of impermanence (anicca) primarily occupies a central role in understanding the nature of existence and death. The present study is an exploration of how contemplation and practice of impermanence influence the development of a positive attitude toward death among Tibetan Buddhist monastics. Method: A qualitative research design was employed using purposive sampling. Nine Tibetan Buddhist monks holding the Geshe degree, equivalent to a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy, participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Result: Four overarching themes emerged from the findings: Acceptance of Death, Purposeful Living Through Impermanence, Spiritual Readiness for Death, and Emotional Resilience Through Impermanence. Findings suggest that the participants learned to perceive death as a natural and inevitable aspect of existence. With that understanding, regular reflection on the nature of impermanence was reported to eliminate fear and adopt acceptance of mortality. Conclusion: It could be concluded that impermanence serves both as a spiritual principle and a psychological tool in assisting the participants to cope better with loss, reduce attachment, and develop emotional resilience. The study contributes to death studies by highlighting the potential value of contemplative practices centred on impermanence in promoting psychological well-being.