By Memory Mudzani
Mental health difficulties are a major concern for young people world wide with Zimbabwe included.
Mental health includes emotional, psychological, social well-being, it affects how a person thinks, feel, act, helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
World health organization (WHO) defined mental health as a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively sand fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
Ndinewe foundation a non governmental organization which address mental health issues amongst the youths reported that suicide cases amongst the youths in Zimbabwe keep skyrocketing, with drugs and substance abuse threatening the society because mental health difficult amongst the youths that are not fully addressed and they are asking the society especially parents or elders or the church to create a safe environment for young people so that they can share their problems with them rather than judging them without hearing them out, these people needs support so that they will not die in silence.
In an interview with a young person who is a student at kwekwe Poly identified as Tendai Mpofu she said the prevalence of drug abuse among young people is very high because of their mental health status, young people are suffering with depression in silence and they end up being drug addiction as way to deal with their mental health.
” The economic status in our country is the major factor that is affecting mental health of most young people ,some youths are depressed because they are unemployed yet they are educated and expecting a better life ,some are facing challenges with paying for their fees,some lack family support and others are abused sexually either at school,home or at work and all this will result in one being stressed and end up suffering from mental health problems which results in some young people commiting suicide or taking in drugs and others even suffers from diseases caused by stress “said Tendai
Mental Health Trust said that mental health difficulties needs to be addressed at a larger rate because they are affecting the health of our youths ,parents or guardians or even the society needs to work with these young ones ,they need support , they need to be taught about the effects of stress , depression how it affects their wellbeing and health , how taking in drugs or committing suicide is not a solution to their problems.
Mental health trust director Agatha Chapeyama further said that said that they are trying to addressing mental health difficulties as an organization through dissemination of information on mental health care in communities and raising awareness and advocating for mental health through sensitization meetings in the communities but it’s not enough since they are still a small growing organization so they are calling out to the nation to address these issue so as to help youths while its still early because she said youths are the future of Zimbabwe.
Kwedu Classics
Your story our story
