It’s okay not to be okay

The Chronicle

Andile Tshuma
Last week’s headlines painted a sad picture with a string of suicides recorded across the country.
Ironically, we are still in suicide prevention month.

September is a time to raise awareness of suicide and help prevent it. It’s about people living with mental or behavioral health problems and helping to reduce the stigma that so many experiences have.

Most people can name many ways to measure physical health. Mental health is harder to define. We know what it is like to be happy, sad, angry, or satisfied. Sometimes we’re just somewhere in between.

The mental health of women and men has become a public health issue that requires attention, especially in the face of rising incidences of depression, violent crime, and suicide.

A man’s toughness is viewed as closely related to physical and emotional strength and invincibility.

Being told to be a man throughout parenting and even in adulthood reinforces the idea that men should be tough and deal with problems on their own.

There is a widespread social expectation that men should never rely on other people, talk about their feelings, or seek help with their physical or mental health.

Men in particular find it difficult and unnecessary to seek psychological help or counseling services.
The latest available data from the World Health Organization shows that Zimbabwe has the 34th highest suicide rate in the world and fifth in Africa behind Lesotho, ESwatini, South Africa and Botswana, respectively.

In the past five years, more men than women have committed suicide, according to mental wellness organization Create Zim.

Padare / Enkundleni Men’s Forum on Gender-Based Seniors Programs Mr Ziphongezipho Ndebele recently said the state of mental health of men in the country was of concern and called for a change in the behavior of men looking for health.

“You will find that men are most likely to experience mental illness because they do not seek help and do not share their problems. Many men struggle with depression. It’s real We really need to achieve more and share the message that it’s okay not to be okay. If you look at the suicide statistics over the past few years, you will see a worrying trend and show you that we are indeed in a crisis, ”said Ndebele.

Global and regional health institutions and bodies must assume specific global obligations as well as accompanying frameworks and strategies in order to better address the links between masculinity and poor health behavior.

Growing numbers of people are resorting to suicide in Bulawayo due to social pressure as police complain about the high rate of suicide cases in the city, including young people.
People usually think of suicide when they are exposed to social pressures, when they feel they have failed, or even when their family breaks down. Therefore, it is important that families watch out for suicidality as suicide can be prevented.

Communities need to be on the lookout for depression or other psychiatric problems that trigger suicide.

A local psychiatrist said that most suicide cases are male dominated because of the belief that a macho should suppress things even if they are affected by social pressures.

According to medical professionals, severe depression can be effectively combated with modern drugs and other medical techniques, but it is necessary that those who drift into suicidal depression are identified as quickly as possible and referred to competent doctors or psychiatrists.

Police in the city have also raised concerns about the alarming suicide rates in the city and urged parishioners to consider counseling before they commit suicide.

Surveys from around the world show that most men everywhere struggle to open up about mental health, but they are significantly more at risk of attempting suicide than women.

According to the 2018 World Health Organization (WHO) report, three times as many men as women die from suicide in high-income countries.

However, reports show that men are less likely than women to seek psychological support or therapy when they have problems.

The 2018 WHO reports set out that the cultural stigma associated with mental health is one of the main barriers preventing people from admitting that they need help.

This stigma is particularly pronounced among men.
Prescribed age-old ideas about gender and expectations are also behind the leading cause of mental health problems in men that eventually lead to suicide.

The report goes on to say that many are embarrassed to seek formal treatment for mental health problems, which often leads some of them to contemplate suicide.

Talking about mental health is not as easy in a social setting as it is at a soccer game. Everyone wants to create the image that their house is in order and everything is good, which in many cases can be an illusion.

Family members must offer support if they notice any suspicious trends that suggest a family member is suffering from depression.

Self-medication with alcohol and other substances is a common symptom of depression in men and can worsen mental health problems and increase the risk of developing other health conditions. Family members need to try to find ways to offer support without being confrontational. This could save a life.

Policy makers and other responsible bodies need to seek better and more effective mental health education so that Zimbabweans, especially men, can easily seek help and know that there is no shame in using health services.

It is important to break the traditional mindset of men about depression and suicide by breaking the stigma that surrounds these issues.

Another way to remove mental health stigma is to treat our mental health institutions differently.
Sometimes the families are to blame.

Once someone has mental health problems, they are dumped and left in facilities like Ingutsheni Central Hospital without anyone bothering to visit them and hold their hand in their recovery process.

The more we view our mental health centers as places of hope and refuge, rather than places to leave social outcasts, we could change the societal perception of mental health. One might consider seeking help and not killing oneself.

Nobody is immune to mental episodes or depression. We must all be willing to offer a helping hand to one of us in need, as we may need the same help tomorrow.

There should be no shame in using mental health services and seeking help when one is depressed. Suicide and violence are not a solution, as such acts only transfer pain to loved ones. – @andile_tshuma

source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/09/18/its-okay-not-to-be-okay/