'Stop calling people with mental illness Ditsenwa!'
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Tuesday August 23, 2022 06:00
Speakers at Doers Mental and Emotional Development Seminar held at Ba Isago University yesterday cautioned the public against discriminating against people living with mental illnesses using derogatory terms one of them being 'ditsenwa' (crazy people). They said the word kills one’s confidence and therefore hinders them from seeking health assistance.
According to Catherine Moalosi, fighting mental health stigma is a vital approach. She explained that it could give a voice to people who suffer in silence. She explained that stigma was more prevalent in Botswana and perpetrators were not strangers but family members, friends, and even colleagues who do not provide a conducive environment for mentally ill people.
“Despite progress in some countries, people with mental illness often experience discrimination and stigma in our country. You will find out that in some families those people are hidden or even worse, tied up so that they cannot go anywhere. Denying people the opportunity to feel, explore, and enjoy the world is wrong,” she said.
“Stigma associated with mental illness leads to feeling ashamed and self-conscious. Stigma leads to people not taking medicines to treat and control their illness. This can worsen their situation. Mental health does not discriminate. People think mental health is for poor people but it also affects the rich. Sometimes we utter horrific words. Stop calling people 'ditsenwa',” she explained.
Moalosi added that it was high time people are taught about mental health and illness. She said it could help change their view, behaviour, and how they talk about mental health. She called them to stop stigmatising mental health because it was just like any other health condition. She called on families to love their mentally ill relatives by not making them feel ashamed. She said they must encourage them to get treatment, talk openly, listen to them without judgement and be there for them in times of need.
For her part, a representative from Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital Thato Mongweotsile also strongly urged the public to stop calling people with mental illness 'ditsenwa'. She explained that their hospital was open for everyone who needed mental and emotional help. She explained that they do not only deal with mentally ill patients but also people who feel stressed, want to stop alcohol and drug abuse, and those bothered by things happening in their lives.
She also explained that they offer counselling and treatment. She explained that people tend to face different challenges that can disrupt their mental health one way or another and therefore encouraged them to seek help at their hospital. She said mental health is a silent killer so people must seek help whenever they are uneasy so they could be evaluated and given appropriate help.
Miss Millennium 2022 Mimi Majube who is a teacher by profession said there was a need to pay attention to students' mental health as there are fights and killings in schools as children also go through a lot but have no one to talk to. She explained that it is not easy to admit their mental health condition even to their parents.
She added that people must start checking on each other to ask if their loved ones are okay. She said they must look out for each other and be kind towards one another.