By Steven Godfrey Mkweteza
A local non-governmental organization, Hope counseling and Recreation Centre (Hopecrec), has urged men in the country to cultivate an interest of seeking for mental health counseling so as to address issues that affect their well being.
Speaking in Blantyre during the mental health public discussion, one of the professional counsellors in the country, Sir Walker Gondwe said the efforts towards fighting against mental health challenges in the country were being derailed by poor health seeking behaviours among men.
Walker said 80 percent of men in the country commit suicide due to depressions that come as a result of lack of mental health counseling.
On the other hand, the counsellor attributed the inadequate numbers of professional mental health counsellors as the other factor that affect the service delivery and contributing to the rising cases of suicides and death among men.
“My experience also indicates that shyness, masculinity and culture are other factors that put make men not to open up on issues that affect them in their lives, most expecially the married men,” said Gondwe.
However, the counsellor commended the place in the country for allowing those who attempt suicide not to be arrested but instead send them for mental health special counseling, a development he said has created a mile for the professional mental health counsellors.
“This development also calls for the government to train more counsellors to handle such cases properly,” he said
In a separate interview, Lilongwe based Yamikani Makanga, advised the youth to desist from the malpractice that lead them to commit suicides such as alcohol and drug abuse.
Makanga, himself a suicide survivor, said financial challenges, lack of employment, peer pressure, love affairs were some of the reasons that were contributing to the rising cases of suicide cases among the youth in the country.
“Most of us don’t know where we can go and get some mental health counseling, hence, opting for suicide. But this is not an answer,” he said.
Hopecrec is a Christian based organization which, through the initiative called ” in the shoes of men” teaches the communities on how to live a positive life after experiencing different challenges in life, hence, reducing suicidal mindsets, which comes as a result of depressions.
