An overwhelming majority of Americans believe the country is living through a mental health crisis, but many continue to fundamentally misunderstand how to access it, according to a survey from Talkiatry, one of the largest employers of psychiatrists in the U.S.
Thirty-nine percent of the survey's respondents said they didn't know psychiatric appointments can be covered by insurance.
More than half said the negative stigma associated with mental healthcare is a top barrier, though 79 percent said they were open to seeking treatment. However, 38 percent do not know psychiatrists have medical degrees, and 13 percent believe therapists and psychiatrists provide the same treatment, the report said.
Stigma and lack of understanding weren't the only major barriers to care the survey found: 60 percent said finding a psychiatrist who accepts their insurance is one of the top obstacles, and 40 percent said the process of finding one is more grueling than filing taxes.