the blog – Jenga Africa https://jengaafrica.com Thu, 06 Oct 2022 19:22:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5 97403511 The Problem with the Word Mental Health. https://jengaafrica.com/the-problem-with-mental-health/ Mon, 09 Mar 2015 02:57:21 +0000 http://15zine.cubellthemes.com/?p=401 The problem with the word mental health is the many incorrect definitions and meanings it has. Many people shy away from this topic because there’s an assumption that an individual with mental health issues is insane or mad. This insane and mad person is then linked to violent acts and behaviors; the society shuns them and are often afraid of them. What this means is that all mental health issues are then lumped into one big bucket, where a depressed person can easily be seen as a danger to the society. An individual who is suicidal faces an even worse experience, and they rarely open up because they don’t want this “negative” label and perception placed on them.

Categories…

We know that suicidal issues have many causes, from:

  • Environmental factors
  • Socioeconomic factors
  • Biological factors

Yet – even though we have the three categories above, mental health is majorly viewed from a bio-medical lens, with most solutions leaning towards a medical approach. We speak of psychosocial support in Africa – however, this normally comes with some form of prescription, even when there’s a difference between needing support and having an illness. In Africa, mental health is attached to a lot of stigma such as:

  1. It stems from witchcraft
  2. It’s a sin
  3. It’s punishable by law, so people don’t want to speak as they are afraid of being arrested
  4. It’s in your mind
  5. It means one is mad or insane and is dangerous or can hurt others
  6. It’s an attention seeking behavior
  7. And so many others

Underreported Numbers

All the above makes one not want to speak up, and so numbers become unreported and underreported. Because of missing data, the extent of the issue is not clear, so the solutions cannot be wholly accurate. Many families shy away from reporting any incidents of suicide as they’re afraid of the communities’ judgement and perception. If we don’t clarify the word ‘mental health’, then we cannot move forward and address this topic in an effective manner.

What is mental health?

Food for thought:

A major reframing of the phrase ‘mental health’ needs to occur for us to be able to address this topic on a societal level. How can we change the way others think and perceive the word ‘mental’?

Send us your answers to myvoice@jengaafrica.com

Please make sure to include where you’re writing from.

]]> 401 What is Mental Health? https://jengaafrica.com/what-is-mental-health/ Wed, 10 Mar 2021 02:46:06 +0000 https://jengaafrica.com/?p=596 Let’s start here.

There’s no health without mental health. Mental health is an essential part of your wellbeing, so it’s important to not only focus on your physical health alone, but your mental health as well.

Many people have a skewed perception and understanding of what mental health is and what it’s not. In our research, we have found that people think mental health means individuals with issues that deems one insane or mad; so, when you ask, “how’s your mental health?” – the response would be, “I don’t have mental health issues.”

The Perception

This perception has to be corrected. Mental health is part of one’s overall well-being – where an individual is able to handle life stressors, has coping mechanisms should they encounter a difficult situation and is able to be a productive member of society.

Physical health represents one dimension of total well-being, because we have other dimensions like mental health; and if physical health is the state of your physical body and how well its operating, then mental health is the state of your mental faculties and how well its operating.

Good or Bad?

We then say that one can have good or positive mental health or bad or negative mental health. Someone with positive mental health is one who is able to handle life stressors and manage difficult events well, avoiding paths that may lead one to depression or suicide. On the other end, someone with negative mental health is one who is not able to cope with the stresses of life or difficult events and is easily susceptible to stress, anxiety, depression or suicide.

Do you get it?

The WHO states that: “Mental health is fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life.”

If this is the case, then the promotion, exercise and renewal of mental health is important not only to the individual, but communities globally.

Food for thought:

Did you use to think the phrase ‘mental health’ meant one who has mental disorders and disabilities?

We want to hear from you. Email myvoice@jengaafrica.com with your response. Make sure you tell us where you’re writing from.

One small request…

If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on your social media platforms or to your networks

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