The “constant tug-of-war” in mental health care in Greece

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on how mental health professionals involved in the therapeutic treatment of children in public mental health facilities in Greece experience and talk about the impact of the socioeconomic crises on the psychotherapeutic process.

Design/methodology/approach

In all, 21 semi-structured interviews were conducted and phenomenologically informed thematic analysis was used in analysing the data.

Findings

The results coalesced into two all-encompassing thematic structures articulating the following: first, the socioeconomic crises have permeated society and therapeutic praxis like a torrential and chronic rain storm. This has resulted in a deluge in demand for therapeutic services within the public mental health sector; second, mental health professionals describe their positioning and work as “a constant tug-of-war” where they are inundated and often overwhelmed with work, find themselves identifying with service users and taking on several roles simultaneously, and being challenged to find solutions often in dire and complex situations. They describe how creativity and flexibility are in demand in their day-to-day interactions and if they are to intervene in place of a health and welfare system that is faltering. Doing therapeutic work under such circumstances appears to be both emotionally onerous and stimulating with regard to conceptualising new ways of intervening in such complex psychosocial situations.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited in that only mental health professionals presented their experiences and service users were not included. The findings do highlight how severe austerity policies impact mental health services and peoples’ lives.

Practical implications

The study has implications for policy regarding the provision and organisation of mental health services in contexts where crises and economic turmoil prevail.

Social implications

The results associate severe austerity with major changes in family and community life.

Originality/value

The paper provides insights and implications on how mental health services are impacted by socioeconomic conditions.

Citation

Kyriakidou, N. and Triliva, S. (2018), "The “constant tug-of-war” in mental health care in Greece", Mental Health Review Journal, Vol. 23 No. 3, pp. 121-130. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHRJ-11-2017-0050