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A brief insight into the mental health services in Finland
Out Of The Borders - Mental Health Abroad
Author: Venni Metsaranta
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These are the images, and some associations people have of Finland: Peaceful, Relaxing Nature with Clean Air, Safe & Reindeers! In a global context, Finland is a safe country to live in and economically the government does support you especially when you are in the most need. However, I cannot help to hear the fact that: “Everyone is happy? Well maybe I am the only one who isn’t then”. This is a comedic approach to the mental health and happiness phenomena in Finland; however, it has some bitter sense of truth to it.
The physical health of Finns has improved over the past decades, but no corresponding change has been achieved in mental health. The costs of mental health disorders in Finland are estimated at 11 billion euros per year. (Mieli 2021) What has improved is the overall attitude towards mental health and its problems.
People tend to be more open to seeking help. Also, the stigma of mental health is disappearing, and people are more encouraged to get help through public advertisements and media. (Mieli 2021) In general Finland’s mental health service organization aims to promote a mission regarding mental health and the prevention of problems. They defend everyone’s equal right to good mental health. The background of the plan has been concerned for the mental health and movement of the entire population, especially people at risk of marginalization and in a weaker position. (Mieli 2021)
In Finland, mental health services are divided between public and private services. Private services are more available and easier to access however, the prices are much higher and not affordable for all Finns. If you cannot afford private services, you usually must wait a quite long time for the public services to be available. (Mieli 2021) For some people, waiting for months could already be too late. On a more individualistic level, the external threats such as the increased awareness of climate change (Eco-anxiety) are affecting the everyday life choices of young Finns. For my master’s degree, I examined the perceived eco-anxiety among Finnish youth in 2020 and how eco-anxiety is linked to the changes in everyday life choices of young Finns. In this study, eco-anxiety was defined as a unified construct of climate-related anger, anxiety, fear, guilt, and depression. In addition, the link between issues such as news and politics with eco-anxiety was examined. (Metsaranta 2021) The conclusion of the research was that eco-anxiety poses a threat and emerges as a response to the current worldwide climate change crisis. Eco-anxiety is thus an understandable reaction to the state of the world and can motivate people to act, on the other hand, it can also lead to a loss of ability to function.
Whether it is a conflict or the results of some emotions, it is important to find out what can explain when eco-anxiety increases activity and increases sensations of repression or paralysis. Eco-anxiety is a broad phenomenon, which is linked with many climate emotions, psychosocial well-being, and mental states of humans. This research aimed to clarify how eco-anxiety is experienced among the Finnish youth and whether it had a major role in the everyday life choices. The research also helped to understand various forms of issues that cause eco-anxiety and which emotions were intertwined with eco-anxiety. Eco-anxiety as a phenomenon should be considered a crucial problem to tackle and to assess in what ways the emotions and sensations caused by it could be lessened. (Metsaranta 2021) The significance of this research as an example reso nates with the Green your mind project that I am currently part of here in Thessaloniki, Greece.
For Finns, a very normal place to quiet the mind and try to cope with mental issues is to go to nature. It is one of the most efficient ways to cope with stress and anxiety. Nature has a positive effect on mental health. The natural environment offers several opportunities to promote both mental health and general well-being. The best way to get the well-being effects of nature is to act out in the nature of yourself. However, you don’t have to go into the wilderness for long periods to get the well-being effects. Even short visits to parks, forest paths, or the shores of ponds or rivers produce favorable effects on both physical and psychological well-being. (Mielenterveystalo 2022) The images below are associated with how Finnish people tend to find happiness and relief from stress & anxiety in nature. The connection between nature and coping with mental health issues is imminent.
Metsaranta 2022
To conclude, I personally do feel safe and happy to live in Finland, and foremost I do feel privileged. However, when you are following the statistics, you cannot help to notice some alarming numbers. The increase of deaths from drug use is increasing, and the waiting lists to get mental support, especially in the public sector, are too long.
Mieli. 2021. Retrieved 07.04.2022 from: https://mieli.fi/yhteiskunta/mielenterveys-suomessa/tilastotietoa-mielenterveydesta/
Venni Metsaranta. 2021. Jyvaskylan yliopisto. https://jyx.jyu.fi/ bitstream/handle/123456789/76581/URN%3aNBN%3afi%3ajyu-202106163780.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Luonto Arjessa. 2022. Mielenterveystalo. from: https://www. mielenterveystalo.fi/aikuiset/itsehoito-ja-oppaat/oppaat/tietoa_luonnon_hyvinvointivaikutuksista/Pages/luontokokemus_ oikeasti.aspx
