There are many barriers to accessing mental health care. These include stigma, embarrassment, concerns about privacy, lack of mental health literacy and awareness regarding symptoms and early warning signs and lack of teen-friendly interventions.
In addition, there is an acute shortage of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. According to reports, there is only One Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist for each 100,000 population in Malaysia. Anxiety and depression are treatable, but most kids with a diagnosable anxiety disorder and depression are not getting the desperately needed treatment.