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Chapter 5114If you have an ear ache or a stomach ache, you just think that these things often happen. But now I wondered if there really was something wrong with me. Am I not exaggerating? (P1)Further, participants encountered communication problems during GP consultations, because the GP took insufficient account of the MID. The GP used difficult language, had limited time, did not repeat the given information frequently enough, and provided general information on MH problems that the participants found difficult to apply to their own specific situation. For example, one participant experienced MH problems after she lost contact with her mother. In this context, the MHNP used a term unclear to her: Then she said that this was a ‘grieving process’. That wasn’t completely clear to me. (P5)On both a cognitive and a practical level, participants appeared vulnerable with regard to healthcare access and utility of care. For a number of participants, it was not clear that a GP was accessible for MH problems, other than for a specific question about medication. It feels strange. You think that if you have a stomach ache, you can look for help. But if you have other, mental problems then you wonder where you can go. You just don’t know. (P4)After the consultation, it was frequently not possible for participants to follow GP advice. Advice did not sufficiently meet participants’ expectations or was too difficult to implement in their daily lives and was therefore not followed at all. One participant, for example, had been advised to write down her thoughts, which she was not able to do:But at that moment I also had to write things. But that didn’t really work for me. (P5)Finally, participants often lacked a network offering the practical and emotional support needed to implement GP advice following GP contacts. Often, no network was available, or participants experienced poor relations Katrien Pouls sHL.indd 114 24-06-2024 16:26