This paper focuses on what people in Saga, a village on the periphery of Niamey, the capital of Niger, do in the face of illness. With limited economic assets and in a context of medical pluralism, to which therapeutic alternatives do they turn? And what factors are determinant in the choice that they make? Saga is an old village, which has become increasingly integrated into the expanding urban community of Niamey. It can be described as a semi-urban area in which elements of both rural and urban Niger are present. The therapeutic field in Saga is, as in all of Niger, characterised by medical pluralism. A number of therapeutic alternatives exist side by side. They range from ‘western’ or hospital medicine provided by the local public dispensary, the private confessional dispensary and by the unlicensed sale of medicine by ambulant vendors to ‘traditional’ treatments, such as Islamic medicine practised by marabouts and ‘traditional’ healing using herbal remedies and spirit possession rituals. This paper is about the various institutions and actors of ‘modern’ medicine in Saga, namely on the public dispensary, on the confessional dispensary and on the informal sale of pharmaceuticals. To better understand the quest for therapy in Saga this paper focuses on everyday practices of therapy seeking, on the actual and everyday choices people make in the face of illness.Special attention is paid to the therapeutic alternatives and to the relation between therapy seeker and therapy provider in what may be called the therapeutic encounter. It is argued that socio-economic factors as well as social relations, personal experiences and perceptions of trust are central to the therapeutic recourse taken. Furthermore, it is suggested that the ‘quest for therapy’ can and should be seen as a ‘quest for relief’.

<p>This paper focuses on what people in Saga, a village on the periphery of Niamey, the capital of Niger, do in the face of illness. With limited economic assets and in a context of medical</p><p>pluralism, to which therapeutic alternatives do they turn? And what factors are determinant in the choice that they make? Saga is an old village, which has become increasingly integrated into the expanding urban community of Niamey. It can be described as a semi-urban area in</p><p>which elements of both rural and urban Niger are present. The therapeutic field in Saga is, as in all of Niger, characterised by medical pluralism. A number of therapeutic alternatives exist side by side. They range from ‘western’ or hospital medicine provided by the local public dispensary, the private confessional dispensary and by the unlicensed sale of medicine by ambulant vendors to ‘traditional’ treatments, such as Islamic medicine practised by marabouts and ‘traditional’ healing using herbal remedies and spirit possession rituals. This paper is about the various institutions and actors of ‘modern’ medicine in Saga, namely on the public dispensary, on the confessional dispensary and on the informal sale of pharmaceuticals. To better understand the quest for therapy in Saga this paper focuses on everyday practices of</p><p>therapy seeking, on the actual and everyday choices people make in the face of illness.Special attention is paid to the therapeutic alternatives and to the relation between therapy seeker and therapy provider in what may be called the therapeutic encounter. It is argued that socio-economic factors as well as social relations, personal experiences and perceptions of trust are central to the therapeutic recourse taken. Furthermore, it is suggested that the ‘quest for therapy’ can and should be seen as a ‘quest for relief’.</p>

This study explored the lived experiences of men attracted to minors who believed they would benefit from therapy but did not seek out or attend therapeutic services; and sought to gain an understanding of how the decision to seek help or not impacted their well-being. Participants included 7 men who were recruited through the B4U-ACT online forum, which provides peer support for the minor attracted community. Participants were interviewed over Skype. Data from these interviews was analyzed and coded according to the interpretative phenomenological method as outlined by Smith et al. (2012). Five main themes emerged, providing insight as to why more therapeutic support is not sought. These themes include: emotional distress, consideration of therapy, actual and perceived stigmatization, expectations of therapist assumptions, expectations of professionalism, and therapeutic support. The findings were compared with existing literature to propose ways mental health professionals can provide easier access to resources and reach the population, which can lead to societal benefits. Improved access to treatment has the potential to provide the population opportunities to better cope with stigma, manage their impulses more effectively, lower their feelings of isolation, and increase their overall well-being. This study helps to fill the current void in the area of research on help-seeking behaviors and the associated challenges that men attracted to minors may face.