The stigma surrounding mental illness, including depression, remains a barrier to people seeking help throughout the world, even in worst form in Ethiopia.
By Fitsum Getachew (The Ethiopian Herald) |
Millions suffer from some form mental sickness throughout the world and this is so undeniably even here in our country. How many times have we seen people who roam around the streets of the city without any visible signs of normalcy? How many times have we seen individuals talking to themselves, sometimes loudly? How many times have we seen people shout or sing on the roads disregarding the fact that they may disturb others? At times, you see individuals who walk half vested and half naked talking to themselves or talking loudly or singing in a manner that could be described as aggressive. Some other times you see people who just cross the streets without even glancing if vehicles are coming or not. Evidently, they are totally absorbed in their own world; they are absorbed in their own problems. They may have worries; they may have agonies and this must have affected them profoundly. This definitely has something to do with their state of mind and most probably they may have some health issue to take care of.
The issue of mental health is often overlooked here even by family members, and friends, as people tend to dismiss these people quite lightly and may be often in a friendly manner as ‘mad’ or ‘crazy’ or ‘eccentric’. Not everyone gives them the kind of attention and care they may be in desperate need of and deserve. Doctors admonish that people who have ‘mental issues’ should be treated in a very delicate manner on a case by case basis; and the sooner the better. But unfortunately what we observe here is that normal people do not have the ‘patience’ to deal with these individuals with the necessary caution. These people are not consulted or asked about their state of mind nor do we care to investigate what may have gone wrong in their day to day life.
The issue of mental health is very much overlooked by many and what is even more troubling is that our doctors say that certain cases could be very easily resolved with a little bit of understanding and care. Talking about it alone could take care of the problem to a great extent.
Depression is the theme of this year’s World Health Day. Every year come 7th April the World Health Day is marked and this year the focus was on mental health and that was specifically depression. Depression is one of the forms of mental disturbance that one can suffer from. The statistics may vary but it is believed that there are millions of people in the world who suffer from this ailment permanently. Depression, doctors say, is indeed an ailment and must be treated as such. Here in Ethiopia as well there are people who suffer from this malaise even though we may not find easily the number of those who suffer from it, and as our culture itself does not particularly encourage people to come out and show or declare their status, especially if we take into account mental issues. What we do is cover up or minimize the issue rather than bring it to the attention of the family and then may be try and resolve it or have it treated.
Read the complete story at The Ethiopian Herald
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See also:
- Ethiopia: Mental Health Care within Reach
- New Hospital to Enhance Mental Health Services
- Planet Earth Institute: Five Questions with HE Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
- Supporting Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) in Ethiopia: USAID