Mental health is looming post covid experience and we are to be aware of our well. Every day, human beings are exposed to many mentally related stressors, including competition, workplace tension, pressures, heartbreaks, and trying situations that directly affect our minds and bodies. As a result, we get exposed to mental disorders. Unfortunately, these global icons or celebrities are not immune to these psychological disorders.
Many in the system have faced this over the years and are battling it, trying to find a lasting solution to their headaches.’ Take a football icon, David Beckham, for instance: he suffered from a mental health condition called, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. He accepted that he has an addiction to keeping everything perfect and clean. However, despite his efforts to break his cycle of repetitive behaviour, he could not stop until medical professionals helped him solve this.
Angelina Jolie, Hollywood fanatics’ favourite girl in the early 1990s, suffered from suicidal and homicidal ideation, which she voluntarily sorted with the help of a clinical psychologist and was later diagnosed with Presumptive Borderline Personality Disorder. She was managed in a very professional way and now enjoying a happy life. As mental disorders are known as non-respecter of persons, American swimmer Michael Phelps, who won Olympic gold medals and was once regarded as the most decorated Olympian in history, did, however, experienced privations at a young age. Michael was identified as having ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. When he was nine years old, his ADHD caused him to miss class. He suffered a lot from it and was later treated with medications.
Moreover, the story remains incomplete without telling what happened to a renowned Hollywood actress, Ashley Judd, who suffered from numerous depressive symptoms that came as a resort of abuse during her childhood. The last to mention from the western world is Kurt Cobian, an alternative rock icon who suffered from drug abuse, depression, ADD, and Bipolar Disorder. During treatment, he made several attempts to commit suicide, and later, he was found dead after three days of shooting himself. This is the extent to which some of these psychologically related disorders can drag one.
In the quest to tell these heartbreaking stories of people who have suffered so much from episodes of suicidal ideations, we cannot overlook the daily happenings in our region as far as these mental conditions are concerned. So forward, a venerable music icon, Okomfo Kwadee, was once diagnosed with one mental health condition (depression). Still, with the help of medical intervention and family support, he is responding positively to treatment. This is not to remind Davido and his wife of their loss, but at a point, we read in the news that both are depressed due to the sudden demise of their son. This is tragic and shouldn’t happen to anyone; However, it does happen — and fewer or unexpected situations come — but how to manage their direct effects on the human brain is another subject for in-depth analysis and discussion.
Moving forward, mental health has been one of the under-discussed subjects in our daily talk in Ghana, something we have paid little or no attention to. Still, its numerous adverse side effects make thousands of people less active and psychologically incompetent to attend to their duties and other responsibilities. One thing that surprises me is how policy framers have underestimated the die effects — the long-term negative impact it has on our labour force. According to the Ghana Health Service, there were 417 suicide-related incidents in 2021, with the Ashanti region having the most cases (61) recorded. Imagine 417 or more people taking their lives because they experienced depressive and suicidal thoughts – they were left unaddressed or did not receive the kind of treatment they needed to survive the storm they got stuck in. Regrettably, the severity of these psychological problems has not reached the maximum attention.
The time has come for all to come together and have a meaningful national conversation on how we can make mental health a topmost priority and save many folks when faced with mental health challenges. As indicated in most research findings, good mental well-being and a sound mind make someone more productive and mentally competent.
Let us raise a deep sense of wisdomic conversation about mental health and well-being because we are all an inch away from experiencing anything imbalance of sanity.
GCBM Contributor: Adjei Boakye
