By Al-bright Shigwedha
Every year, more than 720,000 people die by suicide globally, approximately one person every 40 seconds. Suicide remains the third leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29 worldwide.
Behind these numbers are millions silently struggling with depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions, with an estimated 280 million people living with depression globally. Depression remains one of the leading causes of disability worldwide.
When looking at gender, mental health does not affect everyone in the same way. Depression is reported more frequently among women than men, while men are disproportionately affected in suicide deaths, highlighting a gap between suffering and access to help.
Despite this, more than 75% of people in low- and middle-income countries receive no mental health support.
While these statistics reflect a global crisis, the reality is no different in Namibia. In the 2023/2024 financial year, the country recorded 542 suicide cases and 2,937 attempts, with about 82% of deaths being men. These figures reveal a deep and ongoing crisis beyond numbers.
The question remains: why is mental health declining so rapidly?
Is it emotional suppression taught from childhood? The fast pace of modern life? Financial pressure, unemployment, “black tax,” and economic instability? Or have we lost emotional grounding as a generation?
The truth is it is likely all of the above. In particular, the boy child is often raised in environments where emotional expression is discouraged, where crying is seen as weakness and seeking help is shameful, making vulnerability difficult in adulthood.
Beyond emotional pressure, we are also becoming a performative generation. Many young people struggle to distinguish between wants and needs and live under constant pressure to impress. Social media intensifies this, increasing comparison, insecurity, and emotional fatigue. While it connects us, it also disconnects us from ourselves. It has made reflection harder and comparison easier, and this raises the question: are we taking enough breaks from what is slowly overwhelming us?
Financial illiteracy further deepens the crisis. Many young people lack guidance in budgeting and planning, leading to debt, pressure to provide, and emotional strain driven by lifestyle expectations. In many cases, survival and appearance compete, and emotional well-being is often sacrificed.
There has been progress in reducing mental health stigma in Namibia. Conversations are more open, and awareness is growing. However, awareness has not translated into sufficient action or accessible care for many who need it.
This raises another question: do we have enough psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers to meet demand? While professionals exist, services remain limited, especially in rural areas and for those unable to afford private care. Long waiting times often delay help that is urgently needed.
Therapy should not only be seen as a crisis intervention. It should also be a space for reflection, healing, and ongoing emotional maintenance, a place people can go at any stage of life, not only when things fall apart.
We must also ask whether we are truly addressing root causes, including unresolved trauma that continues to shape behaviour, relationships, and emotional well-being across generations.
Support systems are not only built in hospitals but also in homes, schools, workplaces, and communities where people feel safe to speak without judgment or fear of stigma.
If we continue without intervention, mental health struggles will become further normalised, especially among young people. Depression, anxiety, burnout, and emotional isolation are becoming part of everyday life rather than exceptions.
So the question remains: what kind of society are we becoming if we ignore the emotional well-being of those expected to build the future? Mental health is no longer a private struggle; it is a social crisis unfolding in real time.
Perhaps the solution lies not only in institutions, but in how we treat one another daily. We cannot encourage people to speak up while creating environments where vulnerability is dismissed or misunderstood.
If we want change, mental health must be treated as a human priority. Behind every statistic is a real person, a family, and a life that deserved support long before reaching a breaking point.
*Al-bright Shigwedha is a Namibian social work student, mental health advocate, author, and founder of The Lotus Project, a community initiative focused on supporting vulnerable individuals through outreach and charity work. She is the author of the self-help and poetry book She Who Heals and is passionate about youth wellbeing, emotional health, and creating meaningful conversations around mental health in Namibia.
