- Mental health is highly stigmatized: The subject of mental health is taboo in Africa and is often met with a lot of stigma and discrimination. The stigma is mythologized and the people with mental health illnesses are frowned upon and made to feel less than. Mental health patients and their families suffer from stigma against them at work, school, social gatherings and the community at large. Many households with a mentally ill person either hides them or sends them far away to roam the streets, for fear of being discriminated against or ostracized.
- Depression is the most prevalent mental illness in Africa: Statistics show that an estimated 100 million people suffer from depression in Nigeria, with 66 million of them being women. Postpartum depression has quickly become a significant cause of maternal morbidity in the continent and little is done to remedy the situation because of ignorance and neglect.
- Depression is a silent epidemic: In a clime which believes that only weak people are depressed, it is rare for people to speak up about their condition, especially since they know it is very difficult to get any form of clinical or psychological help. Most African governments spend less than 1% of their budget on mental health, thus the system is grossly understaffed and under-equipped. The Lancet Global Health Article ‘Mental health in Africa’ stated that there are 1.4 mental health workers per 100,000 people, compared with a global average of about 9 per 100,000 people. There are also limited numbers of mental health facilities and hospital beds to house patients in the existing facilities.
- Poverty plays a role in mental illness in Africa: There is a strong connection between some mental illnesses and the socioeconomic status of patients. According to The Conversation https://theconversation.com/why-africa-needs-to-start-focusing-on-the-neglected-issue-of-mental-health-91406 when people are stressed about their financial resources, or lack thereof, it can sometimes plunge them into depression. Similarly, living with mental health can also lead to poverty, because of how expensive it is to access quality mental healthcare. By being active and collaborating with NGOs and mental health support groups, we all can play
our part and contribute our quota to improve the state of mental healthcare in Africa.
