WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY COMMEMORATED

Botswana remains one of the countries with increasing numbers of mental illnesses, and joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Mental Health Day over the weekend.

Dr Boitumelo Pule- Kitchin of Bongaka Health Care highlights that in this era of Covid-19, the impact of mental health is concerning. “The impact of Covid-19 on mental health is huge, especially with the number of cases in Botswana increasing,” she said.

Pule-kitchin believes that people should be supportive to those diagnosed with Covid-19. “Avoid stigmatizing those who have Covid-19 and those who have recovered,” she said.

Dr Pule- Kitchin adds that Covid-19 prevention protocols have left a huge social economic impact and this has contributed significantly to the mental health burden. “Effects of Covid-19 on mental health can present in several way including different signs and so people should be attentive and seek help while there is time,” she said.

She notes that Depression and Anxiety are the most common mental issues in Botswana, and as such people are under diagnosed. “People hardly vent out and often think that they are just sad, while in fact there is a mental condition, ” she said.

She therefore encouraged people to look out for their mental health just like they do with physical health in order to get the right attention on time. Pule-Kitchin describes Depression as a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.

“It affects how one feels, thinks and behaves and can as well lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems, which is why it is important to get it treated on time,” she said.

Symptoms she says include; feelings of sadness, emptiness or unhappiness, angry outbursts, sleep disturbances including insomnia and tiredness to mention a few.

On the other hand, Anxiety she explains it as a mental disorder characterized by excessive worry, intense and persistent worry about everyday situations.

There are different types of anxiety which include; Agoraphobia, which is a type of disorder in which one fear and often avoid places or situations that may cause them to panic and make them feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.

Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear of terror while generalized anxiety disorder include persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities and events, even ordinary, routine issues.

Founding Executive Director at Botswana Network for Mental Health, Charity Kennedy highlights that there are so many gaps that are seen and draining the mental health of the nation.

“There are issues of suicide, violation of human rights, adjustment disorders anxiety or pre-existing mental health problems that are exacerbated by the Covid-19 situation yet we have limited resources on the ground,” she said adding that there are suicide hot lines, no national health promotion programs for prevention, policies speaking to the mental health of workforce or adolescent and young people’s mental health dresses.

This she says is the reason why suicide is the second leading cause of death amongst young people of the age of up to 29-years old.

”Depression is the projected to be the number one leading disease by 2030 and if we do not act now, especially given challenges brought by Covid-19 then it means the situation would only worsen,” she said. Therefore she says that they are calling upon channeling resources to programs for mental health and also expedite programming.

”The voice of influence for mental health needs leadership from all high levels of sectors of the economy to normalize the conversation and care, and so for greater access to mental health services, we need to channel funds and also have comprehensive structures to push this move for mental health,” said Kennedy.