First Lady Jeannette Kagame has called on the youth to "love” themselves "enough”, normalise seeking mental health support and maintain a positive outlook.

In an Op-Ed published in The New Times on Thursday, the First Lady offers insights and pieces of advice to young people on how best to stand up for themselves, and insists that recovery from mental health challenges is within their power.

"Love yourself enough to know that you are worthy of receiving the help you need,” she said, directly communicating to the youth.

The First Lady added: "Love yourself enough to be honest about what is within your power to change. Love yourself enough to picture a future where you are fulfilled.

"Love yourself enough to leap forward, with might and strength, to go and grab it.”

‘Honour the love you’re given’

While some obstinately stigmatise mental illness, Kagame cited, "its frequent consequences such as unemployment, social volatility, substance abuse, and the reckless behaviour it can engender, self-harm, and suicide are setbacks to the progress of the country.”

Noting that current responses to mental health illnesses might be like scratching the surface, she reassured the youth that they are understood and they should "remember to honour the love you are given, by your country, communities and families, by loving yourself too.”

Growing cases of depression

Reports have shown that, since the beginning of the year, cases related to depression have increased fourfold.

This has made depression feature, for the first time, among the top five recorded mental illnesses in the country.

For instance, Ndera Neuro-Psychiatric Teaching Hospital has so far received 7,817 patients battling depression this year compared to 1,743 recorded last year.

The majority of new cases are people aged 20-39 years.

"Addressing mental illness among our youth shouldn’t be a match between opponents, between generations accusing each other of either weakness or insensitivity, not knowing how much families and friends equally suffer from the pain of their depression,” the First Lady added.

"It should be a race to the finish line, to wellness, hand in hand.”