Categories: HEALTH

OUR MENTAL HEALTH


Read Time: 2 minutes


Yesterday was “Mental Health Day”, and frankly, it seems the world has taken leave of its senses.
The WHO has rightly declared mental health a universal human right. It reports that globally, about one-in-eight people have mental health conditions. Here in America, the CDC reports that sometimes, the figure may be as high as one-in-five. These figures were before the Covid pandemic that increased Depression and Anxiety by about 25%.


The causes of mental illness have been known since antiquity. They include childhood experiences, chronic medical conditions like cancer and diabetes, biological or chemical imbalances, the use of alcohol and drugs and loneliness/isolation.


Let me highlight a few of these. Childhood experiences include growing up in poverty, in unstable homes and child labour. Yes–the poor suffer more from mental illness! And there is the debate about whether poverty begets mental illnesses or mental illnesses beget poverty.


And then there are the biological and chemical imbalances in our brains, influenced by our genes. Some families suffer more from mental illness than others.


The relationship between chronic illness and mental illness is reciprocal. For instance, those with Mental illness tended to test positive more for covid than those without. Then there is isolation and social stressors. The stress of marching across the Sahara to try and reach Europe, being unemployed, growing up black or in an oppressed community or experiencing poor governance or war or coups- like in the Congo, Ukraine, Syria or Isreal now.


The following are indications of Mental illness:
1: Feeling anxious or worried
2: Emotional outbursts
3: Sleep problems
4:Weight or appetite change
5: Being more quiet or withdrawn
6: Substance abuse
7: Feeling guilty


Mental illness matters a lot. Those with Mental illness, according to the CDC, live ten to 20 years less than others and every year, 14 percent of deaths are related to mental health.


We must build robust health systems and stand for good governance while fighting poverty and discrimination to reduce mental illness. But, ultimately, the key is what we do as individuals.
We must avoid drugs, seek positive experiences and build mutually supportive networks. Reach out to that family member or friend you have not spoken to for the last year. Greet people. Ask how they are doing. Check on your friends and even strangers. I always remember the man who commited suicide and left a note. In the note, he wrote, “I am going to walk to that bridge and jump to my death. If even one person says “Good morning, I won’t do it”. He died because not even one person said “Good Morning “.

Greet someone today. You may save a life.


God bless you and lift you.


Arthur Kobina Kennedy
October 11th, 2023.


Godfred Meba

View Comments

  • I needed to thank you for this very good read!! I certainly enjoyed every bit of it.
    I have got you saved as a favorite to look at new things you post…

  • Spot on with this write-up, I truly think this web site wants way more consideration. I’ll probably be again to learn much more, thanks for that info.

  • Hi there, You've done an incredible job. I will definitely digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I am sure they'll be benefited from this site.

  • I truly appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thx again

  • Terrific work! That is the type of info that are supposed to be shared across the internet. Disgrace on the seek engines for not positioning this submit higher! Come on over and consult with my web site . Thanks =)

  • Hello there! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading through your blog posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that cover the same subjects? Thanks!

  • Bravo on the article! The content is insightful, and I'm curious if you plan to add more images in your upcoming pieces. It could enhance the overall reader experience.

  • Great site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also

  • Very well written article. It will be helpful to everyone who usess it, as well as me. Keep doing what you are doing - can'r wait to read more posts.

Recent Posts

GHANA SIGNS DEBT RELIEF PACKAGE WITH FRANCE WORTH 87.7 MILLION EUROS

BY: DANIEL ASARE Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has touted the country’s recovery from…

5 hours ago

Lands Minister Extends Deadline for Small-Scale Mining License Rectification

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (MP), has granted an…

5 hours ago

KENNEDY AGYAPONG SPEAKS OUT!

Mr. Kennedy Agyapong Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, a presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)…

5 hours ago

PRATT CALLS FOR UNITED ACTION ON REPARATION

Mr. Kwesi Pratt, Jnr, a member of the Coordinating Committee of the Pan African Progressive…

1 day ago

PRESIDENT MAHAMA’S THANK YOU TOUR TO THE OTI REGION MARKED BY MASSIVE TURNOUT AND ASSURANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

The President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, brought the curtain down…

3 days ago

IGP and POMAB members engage community leaders at Asawase and Tulaku to calm tension

Story by George Yawson Vineh The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno and…

3 days ago