Depression, anxiety eating away Uganda’s young generation

By Akankwatsa Ronald, Eng.

Quite often, we have identified challenges that youths face as poverty, unemployment, exclusion from decision making, school drop-out, limited access to skilling opportunities and financial resources, etc. but we usually forget the biggest health threat that is silently depriving many young people of their joy, resourcefulness, eroding and stealing away their future and making their present unpleasant, not forgetting deaths.

MAY is globally recognised as Mental Health Awareness Month. Having started in the USA in May 1949 as Mental Health Awareness Week, it has since expanded to a full month across many other countries with an aim to create public awareness, reduce stigma and promote mental health screenings. Despite this initiative, however, many youths still face mental health challenges like depression, stress, anxiety and psychological disorders. These disorders usually affect their well-being, work attitude for those in working age and poor academic performance for school-going youths.

Unlike older people who sometimes speak up, young people most of the time don’t always talk about it. They usually shy away and silently battle with the effects, sometimes playing it off with common slangs like “Ndi Gumitte’’ implying that I am strong and unshaken, especially when they are faced with some adversaries, disappointments or temporary failure. This self-consolation in such times of distress is temporary and does not solve the problem. Instead provides outward relief that but instead facilitates inward bleeding whose wounds and scars worsen with time.

What usually begins as simple anger or mood swing, becomes recurring making someone to feel sad always to the extent that almost every simple disturbance sets them off. They start to easily catch anger, replying rudely or ignoring calls and aftermath is the feeling of hopelessness, worthlessness and loneliness. They begin to isolate themselves, lose interest in hobbies and constant scrolling on social media becomes their source of company even without many online buddies but posting memes, forging affection through posting fake flattering screenshots.

The feeling of self-worthlessness is usually common among youths of ages (23-35) but usually affects both genders differently. To boy child, perhaps he has achieved nothing in life comparing himself to his age mates but to the girl child, the pressure most times is caused by the delay to get married or being in unserious, unpromising (or no) relationships (at all).

This sometimes accompanied by statements like Life is scam, life is hard, or I am a loser, I was born unlucky, or I am not good enough. To most young people, the immediate remedy at this stage is usually even more disastrous. Drinking alcohol to elevate their dopamine levels, smoking to release the anxiety or hanging out in bars to forget about their temporary problems. At Advanced stages of depression, suicidal thoughts may occur prompting some people to attempt or sometimes committing suicide.

However, all this can be addressed before conditions escalate into bigger health challenges and deaths, provided we give keen and utmost concern and attention to this threat. By reminding young people to take their mental health as a priority and that depression is real, everyone can be a victim at any point in life hence they must learn how to deal with and overcome it. Encouraging them to Live Everyday Day Above Depression (LEAD). 

The government must strengthen mental health care systems by not only setting up rehabilitation centers but also by improving access to counselling services at every health care unit with professional mental health workers, drugs and organizing mental health camps. For all this to be done, the funding towards mental health must be increased by at least tenfold from the current 1% of the health budget.

Religious institutions and worship centers like churches and mosques must move away from the gospel of miracles for the sake of collecting tithes, to preaching the gospel of hope and reconciliation, renewal and forgiveness. Inotherwards, the church must be the source of comfort and relief not exploitation Like the bible says in Mathew 11:28 that come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Counselling sessions should be scheduled and made key topics in their sermons, youth conferences and religious missions.

Education institutions like universities, secondary schools and other centers of learning must hire fulltime professional counsellors to attend to learners dealing with depression and stress. Mental health clubs, fellowships and lectures should be promoted among institutions of learning. Teachers themselves must pay keen attention to their learners’ behavior, interaction and performance in class. It should be noted that academic excellence begins with good mental health. 

To every young person, always consider everything that threatens your peace or mental health as too expensive to go for. You need peaceful mind to think great for your own future and your country. ‘Youth’ age is usually the most extroverted stage in life. It’s always good to mingle, socialize and share your problems with trusted friends or counsellors for assistance. Don’t hide your suffering for you will die in silence.

The writer is a youth inclusion & sustainable development Advocate