Lets talk mental 1

Mental health illness remains one of the most known NCDs yet one that is less prioritized. It is underfunded by most governments in the developing world and expensive to manage. What does it take for the governments to consider this as an urgent public health matter? As the saying goes, If it does not happen to you then you don’t know it’s pain.*

The most commonly known and talked about is depression. This is because it has been seen across societal statuses and continues to claim lives when cojoined with suicide. Due to the low Mental health literacy across all ages, stigma remains the major hindrance when seeking help.

Most mental health illnesses are caused by a chemical imbalance, but most people assume that it is easy to get over like the flu. Duration of treatment varies from one individual to another. Treatment includes medical and psychotherapy. Often when someone is going through mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, or even bipolar just to mention a few, they require proper medical care and support.

One major reason that people who have a mental illness do not speak out is because of stigma. In some cases when someone has anxiety attacks and happens to get a panic attack in public, they maybe subjected to ridicule especially if they are younger by their peers. It is a common practice in our school system for children to jeer at others when they are experiencing a challenge. In case this happens to an adult in a working space, they maybe subjected to discrimination and may even lose their jobs.

Some may argue that mental health is not a public health concern. With a world full of violence, and delinquency, it is a red flag that mental health should be not swept under the rug. There are instances when one mentions that they are struggling with depression, the first question from others is ‘why are you depressed?’. Even the person experiencing depression may not have the answer. As mentioned above mental health illness is unique to each individual.

Nobody chooses to be ill. No one person who has a mental health challenge chooses to have it. In some circles, people argue that people who abuse alcohol or drugs and later suffer from mental health challenges asked for it. This is a form of prejudice that brings about stigma. Drug addiction or abuse is also a mental health challenge that requires proper care and support.

Mental health illness is like any other illness like physical illness. Mental health wellness should be a priority in our communities. Mental health care should be readily available and affordable. Mental health patients should be treated with the dignity they deserve. Mental health programs should be well funded. There is no health without mental health.