Help-seeking in people with exceptional experiences: results from a general population sample

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Mental Health Research
• Sociology

Background:

• Exceptional experiences (EE) are common, yet their impact on mental health and coping strategies remain understudied.
• EE include phenomena like precognition, supernatural encounters, and déjà vu, affecting a large portion of the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the prevalence and nature of EE in the Swiss population.
• To identify factors predicting help-seeking behavior related to EE.
• To assess the extent to which individuals with EE utilize mental health services.

Main Methods:

• An online survey assessed 1580 individuals from the Swiss general population, using quota sampling for demographic representation.
• Multinomial logistic regression analyzed predictors of help-seeking, considering EE, mental disorder status, and demographics.

Main Results:

• 91% of participants reported at least one EE.
• Help-seeking for EE was more common with negative experiences and significantly higher in those with a self-reported mental disorder (35.1%) versus without (8.6%).
• Less educated women with strong beliefs and significant EE showed a preference for healers over mental health professionals.

Conclusions:

• Individuals without diagnosed mental disorders exhibit a lower propensity to seek professional help for EE, likely due to high inhibition thresholds.
• A subgroup, particularly less educated women, bypass the formal mental health system, preferring alternative healers for their exceptional experiences.