Land of the Brave: Are we brave enough to talk about mental health?
OPINION
Just a few days ago, the headlines in the media were shocking – Namibia leads in Africa when it comes to suicides.
The untimely death of the great musician Ras Sheehama epitomises the pandemic of depression and suicide that Namibia is dealing with.
As someone who has talked and written about my own mental health challenges, it pains me to read of the several suicides a week that Namibia averages.
These sorrowful statistics need to be drastically reduced. However, it is not that easy. Depression and suicidal thoughts are not easy to spot. Not even by professionals. How often do we hear the phrase after someone has died by suicide: ‘They didn’t seem suicidal.’ That is precisely the challenge; mental health challenges are rarely visible.
When we think of disability, our minds often jump to what is visible – a wheelchair, a cane, a prosthetic limb. These are visible signs that someone may need understanding, accommodation or support, and we hopefully act accordingly. Mental health challenges do not manifest or announce themselves so clearly. Depression is for many people a profound example of an invisible disability. It can be just as limiting as any other disability, yet it often goes unrecognised and untreated.
I often have to explain that depression is not simply “feeling sad”. It is a medical condition that impairs concentration, decision-making, energy levels, and interacting with the world can be a daunting challenge.
Yet from the outside, there may be no visible sign of this struggle. A person might appear “fine”, smiling in public, meeting deadlines and making small talk. However, at the same time, they are battling exhaustion, hopelessness and a constant mental fog.
This invisibility leads to colleagues, friends, and even family members underestimating the severity of the condition or dismissing it entirely.
Fundamental misunderstanding
One of the most significant challenges for people living with depression is the societal expectation to “snap out of it” or “just be positive.” These phrases, however well-intentioned, reveal a fundamental misunderstanding: depression is not a choice; it cannot be waved away like magic. One of the reasons we struggle with depression and keeping mental health on an even keel is that it is a complex interplay of biological, psychological and environmental factors. As with a physical ailment or disability, it requires appropriate treatment, support and understanding.
When depression is not recognised as a legitimate disability, individuals may be denied the workplace flexibility, academic adjustments, or social understanding they need to function. We must do better as employers, as a nation, and at every stage in life to remove the terrible stigma that surrounds dealing with depression and mental health issues. This lack of recognition can deepen feelings of isolation and shame, making recovery even more complicated.
Recognising depression as a valid yet invisible disability is not about labelling people. It means fostering a culture where people feel safe to disclose their struggles without fear of being judged as weak or unreliable. It is the only way in which we can put an immediate stop to the pandemic of suicides in the Land of the Brave.
The more we talk openly about depression, the more we chip away at the stigma that keeps it hidden. Just as ramps and elevators make physical spaces accessible, open dialogue and mental health literacy make emotional spaces safer. Are we brave enough as a nation to do this?
The untimely death of the great musician Ras Sheehama epitomises the pandemic of depression and suicide that Namibia is dealing with.
As someone who has talked and written about my own mental health challenges, it pains me to read of the several suicides a week that Namibia averages.
These sorrowful statistics need to be drastically reduced. However, it is not that easy. Depression and suicidal thoughts are not easy to spot. Not even by professionals. How often do we hear the phrase after someone has died by suicide: ‘They didn’t seem suicidal.’ That is precisely the challenge; mental health challenges are rarely visible.
When we think of disability, our minds often jump to what is visible – a wheelchair, a cane, a prosthetic limb. These are visible signs that someone may need understanding, accommodation or support, and we hopefully act accordingly. Mental health challenges do not manifest or announce themselves so clearly. Depression is for many people a profound example of an invisible disability. It can be just as limiting as any other disability, yet it often goes unrecognised and untreated.
I often have to explain that depression is not simply “feeling sad”. It is a medical condition that impairs concentration, decision-making, energy levels, and interacting with the world can be a daunting challenge.
Yet from the outside, there may be no visible sign of this struggle. A person might appear “fine”, smiling in public, meeting deadlines and making small talk. However, at the same time, they are battling exhaustion, hopelessness and a constant mental fog.
This invisibility leads to colleagues, friends, and even family members underestimating the severity of the condition or dismissing it entirely.
Fundamental misunderstanding
One of the most significant challenges for people living with depression is the societal expectation to “snap out of it” or “just be positive.” These phrases, however well-intentioned, reveal a fundamental misunderstanding: depression is not a choice; it cannot be waved away like magic. One of the reasons we struggle with depression and keeping mental health on an even keel is that it is a complex interplay of biological, psychological and environmental factors. As with a physical ailment or disability, it requires appropriate treatment, support and understanding.
When depression is not recognised as a legitimate disability, individuals may be denied the workplace flexibility, academic adjustments, or social understanding they need to function. We must do better as employers, as a nation, and at every stage in life to remove the terrible stigma that surrounds dealing with depression and mental health issues. This lack of recognition can deepen feelings of isolation and shame, making recovery even more complicated.
Recognising depression as a valid yet invisible disability is not about labelling people. It means fostering a culture where people feel safe to disclose their struggles without fear of being judged as weak or unreliable. It is the only way in which we can put an immediate stop to the pandemic of suicides in the Land of the Brave.
The more we talk openly about depression, the more we chip away at the stigma that keeps it hidden. Just as ramps and elevators make physical spaces accessible, open dialogue and mental health literacy make emotional spaces safer. Are we brave enough as a nation to do this?
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