By Emmanete Nabwire & Sylvia Nabayego
The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in depression the world over, but also within our UCU student population, especially following the long school closures, loss of dear ones, the impact of continued isolation, and many other issues that upset the status quo in our lives during this time.
According to the Daily Monitor, as of May 10, 2022, there has been a 15% rise in the number of cases of mental health conditions post-pandemic. The Ministry of Health statistics show that the numbers shot up from 467,667 cases in 2019—before the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic—to 550,373 in 2021.
In May, International Mental Health Awareness Month, priority was given to all age groups. Young people, who are often silent about their mental health in fear of judgement from society, need to be given special attention. Many of them deal with depression but either have no idea what exactly it is or are too afraid to seek help. Some resort to unhealthy ways of numbing the upheaval with drugs and alcohol.
and engaging in reckless behaviour, especially that of a sexual nature. These habits are often triggers for depressive moods and depression itself.
As the Y’Okay Collective, in partnership with the Health Awareness Team, we aim to break the stigma around depression by getting the students and the wider UCU community talking about it. The use of relatable messages and relaxed language should ease the conversation about depression and mental wellness.
Together with the Para-Counselling team and the Ruth Nkoyoyo Wellness Centre (RNWC), this campaign will empower our community to be capable agents in curbing depression. It will enable the students to understand that, as individuals, they can each play a part in helping ease the burden of depression amongst their peers.
Y’Okay?! The lead hashtag # LetsChat is a conversation starter aimed at triggering conversation amongst ourselves and, in the process, unearthing the inner struggles and feelings that need to be addressed more.We should not leave this problem solely to the health practitioners, who, unfortunately, in most cases, come in when things have escalated.
The Ruth Nkoyoyo Wellness Centre offers counselling services free of charge to the UCU student community. Students are urged to seek help in the case of mental unwellness. With Health Awareness Week scheduled for the 10th to 15th of July 2022, we urge the UCU community to be deliberate in having lifesaving
conversations. That “Y’Okay?” just might be what someone needs to share and lighten the load of depression.
Depression is a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in things one previously found joy in. It greatly affects how one feels and thinks depending on how severe their symptoms are. With 19.5 to 20% of Uganda’s population suffering from some sort of depression, it is a major mental health challenge among the young people and the older groups.
