Many Jamaicans are likely to experience some kind of mental health issue during their lifetime. The most commonly diagnosed forms of mental illnesses in Jamaica are depression and schizophrenia. Mental health issues can affect anyone old or young, rich or poor.
When you’re young, the stresses of growing up, family conflicts, study, work and situations such as living in care or being homeless can all take their toll on your mental health.
It can also be really tough living with or standing by a friend or relative who has a serious mental health problem. It can be hard to know what to expect, or what you should do. It’s important to remember that if you feel like you’re not coping, it doesn’t mean you’re at fault, and that there is lots of help available to you during these times.
Looking After Your Mental Health
There are many ways to look after your mental health even when you don’t think it needs special attention. It helps if you can:
- Eat well and exercise regularly
- Get enough sleep and set aside some time each day to relax
- Put time into activities and relationships that make you feel good
- Set yourself some short-term and long-term goals to look forward to
- Try to deal with problems instead of letting them build up
- Be aware of the possible effects of alcohol and drugs on your state of mind and relationships
- These things can really help you keep on top of day-to-day-life and stay on top of regular stress levels and worries.
Dealing with Mental Health Issues
A mental health problem can happen to anyone at any time. It’s nobody’s fault.
It may seem hard to understand or deal with, but it really helps to speak out and get support instead of trying to deal with it alone. Below are a few steps that are helpful in these situations:
- Acknowledge that there may be a problem
- Don’t panic
- Talk about it with a friend or someone else you trust
- Seek out professional advice and information
- Accept support
- When we are sick or injured we head straight to the doctor. We should do the same with our mental health and treat it with the same level of care and concern that we do when we have a physical illness or injury.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Caribbean Child Development Centre (CCDC) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus, today launched “U-Matter” – a new chatline to provide mental health support for Jamaican youth aged 16-24.
The chatline will operate via mobile messaging through the “U-Report” platform created by UNICEF. Young people who need support can send messages at any time on their mobile phones to connect with trained counsellors. There is no cost to use the service.
