World mental health day!

Monday was world mental health day. Mental health is an issue very close to my heart. In this day and age, there is still a lot of stigma attached to it and many people are dying in silence. There is a need for reorientation on how people view mental health issues - In our everyday life, place of work, worship, social gathering etc.

People are yet to grasp that mental health is a serious and deadly illness. There is a need for greater support for all those affected by this illness including the African communities. It is so difficult for many African people to come out and state that they have a mental health problem.  People fear being ostracised from communities and being labelled as weak. In many homes, the word 'D' cannot be mentioned without someone screaming down your throat that you are either weak or have no 'strong faith in God'.

As a former volunteer in a charity that focuses on mental health, it is not uncommon to hear tales of people in the African communities unable to mention  the word 'depression' in certain places without hearing 'I reject that for you' or 'it is not your portion'. Hence, people are reluctant to confide in people close to them. I remember reading a post where someone wrote that depression is not an 'African' illness. These kind of statement are not only dangerous but aids in keeping people from reaching out.

Religion  plays a major role in many African people's lives. I believe that the church is not fully equipped to help and support people with depression. In fact, the 'church' is the last place I'd go if I needed real help and support with depression (note the use of 'church' and not God).

World mental health day should act as a day of reflection for all of us. Many of us know people affected by mental health. We also need to learn how best to support them. Many of us have mental health issues and need to find where to get help and support. Please do not suffer alone. Mental health can affect anyone be it male, female, young, old, different religion, ethnicity, background etc.

There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Please talk to someone. If you are in the UK and are in despair or in need of someone to just listen to you, pick up your phone and call the Samaritan +44 (0)20 8394 8300.