Muishun'e Mutakolobelwa

As Namibia joins the rest of the world this month in recognising the impact of mental health on the human race, the question remains, ‘who is the enemy on the battlefield, called ‘the mind’? The mind is like a war battlefield (the war front), where only the lucky ones with strong moral support survive. 

Namibia continues to record high suicide, domestic and gender-based violence cases due to a lack of trusted support systems, despite having the Lifeline child line as well as the women and child protection unit. It has become very difficult for someone with mental issues to open up and vent to just anyone because of a lack of trust. One never knows what the other person will do with the information (moral decay and lack of trust).

The battle of the mind (mental ill health) does not know the colour, status or physical strength. It attacks everyone in its arc of fire, and it can only be defeated by a strong support system to which many do not have access. 

Though the health sector has put measures in place to support mental health victims, less has been done to ensure these victims are protected. Proof of this is a recent article in one of the daily newspapers that reported a shortage of nurses at psychiatric wards around the country. 

A discussion on the motion, presented by PDM member of parliament Winnie Moongo on Tuesday (18 October 2022), revealed the dire state that mental institutions are in and how patients are treated. These institutions are supposed to be safety shelters, a home away from home, and recovery and reintegration places but they have been turned into prisons in which there is no escape.

The rise in the use of social media has brought about its negative impact on mental health problems. It has increased cyberbullying. Nowadays, one can barely post how they feel on social media without their post being turned into a mockery – or even worse, memes. 

One cannot even call or talk to someone, fearing their call may be recorded and shared in the public sphere. 

A good example of cyberbullying is a video clip trending on social media, ‘Mulife don’t run’. 

Without a strong support system, the boy in the video would have suffered from mental health problems that could have had dire consequences on his life.

The other possible cause/hypothesis is expectation. 

Expectations have led many people down a dark road, where only a few have found light. This hypothesis states that victims always invest not only their resources in relationships or business dealings but also their lives and resources in these dealings, engagements or commitments with high expectations of return on investments. 

It is only when their expectations are not met that reality kicks in – and they see a point of no return; hence, they end up harming themselves and the people around them to satisfy their rage – or even worse, commit suicide. 

The lack of access to basic needs, as stated by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, is another contributing factor to mental health problems. Many people are forced to do odd jobs just to feed their families, and their daily struggles, put excessive pressure on their minds and bodies – and many often fall into depression.

The battle of the mind (mental health issue) is not a choice that one imposes on him or herself; it is something that just hits unexpectedly. It happens like an ambush, and what follows next is depression, known to be a vicious silent killer – more dangerous than cancer. 

Society’s setup has failed victims of mental illness and everyone else in general; our actions have led to people hurting themselves and their beloved ones. 

We mock people, label them, call them names and we create social media memes and videos for clout in search of fame at the expense of other people’s mystery. 

Wake up, my beloved nation – and let us embrace the spirit of Ubuntu and serve our human race. 

What happened to compassion? Before sharing anything on social media ask yourself these questions: is it worth it? is it true? is it necessary? and what negative impact will it have on another person’s life?

There is no formula for addressing mental health issues, for every situation is unique and must be treated as such. 

As I write this, I pay tribute to all who have lost their lives, and I send my support to those who lost their loved ones and those in the silent battle with the mind. 

We need to understand the setup of nature; we came alone in this world and we will surely depart that way. Once we accept this, we will then realise we only have ourselves to pick us up and nobody else. 

We are victors and not victims; we should accept there are things in this life that cannot be reversed – that is time, a word once it has been spoken and an action when it has been done. Everything happens for a reason – bad situations teach us lessons and good ones give us memories. 

Be strong and courageous, for you are the owner of the movie – the main character of your movie. 

Look at the bigger picture, though it is fading. 

How you want your movie to end depends entirely on you – but most of all, seek help. It will get better!