The purpose of this study was to obtain perspectives from caregivers of emerging adults (ages 16–25) who were accessing mental health care services. Using constructivist grounded theory, nine caregivers participated in focus groups or individual interviews. Results suggest that caregivers' experiences centered on three areas: the emotions that they experienced (having frustration, feeling burdened, not being helped, and perceiving a lack of options), the actions that they took in their caregiver role (care facilitation and advocacy), and the external forces that perpetuated negative emotions and adversely impacted caregiver ability to facilitate and advocate (crisis-driven system, wait times, and substance misuse). Findings illustrate the impact of external forces on caregiver feelings and actions, reflecting a system that perpetuates the cycle of wait times and helplessness.

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