Power dynamics of the healthcare field: seeking mental care in Lithuania

ENOver 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. [From the publication]

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