By Tadiwa Jery
Mental health is undoubtedly the most important part of health. Being defined by WHO as a mental state of well being that allows an individual to cope with the normal stresses of life, it gives a person the ability to positively contribute to their friends and family, workplace and the rest of their social circle.
Mental health disorders have been detrimental to the well being of people through the world. In Zimbabwe, the general population is yet to have a better understanding on the severity of mental health. Mood disorders (such as depression or bipolar disorder), anxiety disorders, personality disorders, psychotic disorders (such as schizophrenia), eating disorders, trauma-related disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse disorders, these are the mental disorders that affect one’s state of mind from realising their full potential in their day to day lives.
In an interview with Alphavisionzim, Miss Grace Mutandiro, a social worker graduate stated that mental disorders are not visible but they are real. We trigger them in our conversations through labeling people with names and engaging in activities that foster insecurities. This then leads to anxiety disorders and other disorders that affect mental health.
In an article published in 2020 by the Lancet Psychiatry, Zimbabwe had 17 registered psychiatrists with 13 practising in-country for a population of 15 million people by the time of its publication. This significant treatment gap provides an image on how unprepared we are as a nation on dealing with mental health problems.
The National Strategic Plan for Mental Health Services in Zimbabwe 2019-2023 which succeeds that of 2014-2018 is aimed at operationalising the Zimbabwe Mental Health Policy to improve the mental health status of our nation.
According to an article published in July 2021 by the WHO, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted critical mental health services in 93% of countries worldwide, the UN Resident Coordinator for Zimbabwe, Dr. Maria Ribeiro said that many people with mental health issues are suffering in silence.
Mental disorders do not only affect the individual struggling with them, but also their family and friends. With cases of drug abuse, the matter of mental health should no longer be a government issue only. Citizens need to step up and protect their loved ones from falling prey to the stresses in the world
