On July 31, Mental Health First, an initiative that raises mental health awareness, held a virtual meeting themed "Drugs will cost you more than money”, with the intent to keep raising awareness on mental health. 

The event was closely moderated by Clementine Uwitonze (Tonzi), a gospel artist, the main speakers were Naomi Nishimwe, Miss Rwanda 2020, Tijara Kabenedera a journalist in Rwanda, Alain Cedric Hirwa, a rehabilitated drug addict and Chantal Mudahogora, a professional counselor.

 Nishimwe who began the initiative to dismantle the stigma around mental health, pointed out the reason she decided to address this issue.

"I wanted to normalise the subject mental health, that it’s okay to be depressed and say it out loud. It’s a fight to destroy the stereotypes around it,” she said.

"In this period of the pandemic, when people are more isolated and distanced from each other, it’s when negative emotions are aroused the most,’’ she added.

 For many years, young people across the nation have turned to drugs and alcoholic beverages as a means to escape from the problems they encounter in life, combined with peer pressure. 

"An addiction is a chronic, relapsing condition of the mind to do or act a certain way or abuse a substance.” Said Mudahogora.

 Hirwa shared that he abused drugs and alcohol for eight years, it started as just normally spending time with his dance crew members, "usually many of us start taking drugs because we are imitating so-called friends, you see someone you admire taking them and you tell yourself, there Is no harm in trying,”

 Kabendera noted that the primary support that such people need is moral support, they don’t need to be pointed fingers at and blamed. They are, most of the time, out of their mind and are the ones who inflict pain and guilt on themselves.

 It took four years of trying for Hirwa to finally give up on drugs and alcohol and it’s been two years of sobriety. 

"It’s a continuous fight to not go back to that person I was, I had a mother who was constantly there and that gives me the will to keep going, for the people that trust me now” said Hirwa.

 However, Mudahogora pointed out that the main factors that have discouraged people from seeking professional help is the amount charged per session, many don’t think that the therapy will be worth it, and so mental health remains an unaddressed issue. 

"There is still a long way to go for people to fully understand the benefits of mental health but many are taking a stand to normalize and give it a voice,” she said.

Treatment

 According to Mudahogora, luckily people who face these conditions can be treated through rehabilitation centres and Mental Health First.

"Prevention is possible, since drug addicts are most likely to be the victims of mental health issues without even recognising it. There are health lines and rehabilitation centers available for everyone that offer various treatments such as restoration of the body, panic attacks. Family, community and society also need to help for the prevention to be achieved,’’ she highlighted.

Moreover, Uwitonze added that this initiative is to give mental health it’s respective place and for all to stand up for their wellbeing and give it the value it needs and that is the whole reason for such gathering, as a beginning on a journey of healing and being given mental assistance when need be. 

"Many are always afraid to ask for help, to avoid the shame from others and the self-blame. And we are all in some way or another in need of help,” Nishimwe said.

 The awareness around mental health will come from the many establishments ready to support and aid those that are going through such times, further noted Uwitonze.

 "Mental health needs to reach everywhere, to be taught in schools, establishment of psychiatry in different hospitals to help people on the mental aspect too and to raise many campaigns to spread that understanding,” said Uwitonze.