Understanding Africa’s Gen Z mental health problem

In South Africa, UNICEF reported that approximately 65% of youths reported to have mental health issues.

The country was among the worst hit during the Covid-19 surge. Thousands, including parents with underlying health issues, lost their lives. This has contributed to many young people having their education disrupted, deaths among family members, and missing out on normal interaction with peers.

This has caused an escalation in isolating behaviours, with at least one out of four adolescents now avoiding social interaction. Such symptoms have led many African Gen Zers to not only withdraw from others but also be rejected by their peers, which has exacerbated depressive symptoms further and limited opportunities for social skills development.

Tough economic conditions and a lack of employment opportunities has highly contributed to stigma and social exclusion.

In Kenya, more than 60% of families living in urban areas earn between $2 – $5 a day. This income cannot subsidise quality education and healthcare services.

Most African governments do not prioritise mental health disorders. Being part of our physical health, it needs care like any other illness in our body. Neglect of mental health by governments and policymakers alike is common across the globe.

According to the World Health Organisation, approximately more than half of African nations lack mental health budgets, and those that do allocate less than 1% of their total health budget.

Implementing sustainable policies to help curb mental health problems could allow for vulnerable young people to be assisted at an early stage. Most parents and guardians need to be educated on home-based mental healthcare to avoid long term implications.

Creating awareness on mental health and involving young adults in conversations will allow for more open discussions.

Similarly, prevention efforts aimed at Gen Zers may also reduce the prevalent rate of mental health conditions.