Abstract

Even though depression has become one of the most common diseases in the world and significantly worsens the quality of life, many people who encounter its symptoms do not seek professional help and remain without treatment. One reason for avoiding medical care for depression could be the fear of stigmatization. Considering the varying levels of stereotypes and prejudices about mental illness and how it is treated in different cultures, it is interesting to compare the experience of dealing with stigma in several countries. This study examines the influence of the cultural context on the experience of stigmatization of students from St. Petersburg and Helsinki. Data collection was carried out in 2019-2020 using in-depth interviews and autobiographies. The diversification of collection methods has increased the response of informants in Finland. The analysis of the obtained data was carried out using the Uwe Flick thematic coding technique which was developed to compare two or more groups of informants. The results of the study showed that the Finnish socio-cultural context was more friendly towards students with depression: participants from Helsinki noted a decrease in stigma around this condition in recent years. Seeking professional help was a way to reduce stigma by showing others that they are fighting the disease. In St. Petersburg, students feared the stigma associated with seeking medical help and put off going to a therapist. It was more difficult for them than for Finnish students to tell their relatives about their condition. In revealing the fact of depression to others, participants from St. Petersburg used various strategies to combat stigma.