Finding the Middle Space: Strategies and Interventions to Support Mental Wellness in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The World Health Organization[WHO], 2023 reports that approximately 280 million people worldwide are depressed. Many may have been adversely impacted by the onset of Covid-19 and the struggle to cope with the devastating disease. Vulnerable people without a clear identification of the pandemic’s existence or how to access treatment may also have been affected. Cultural conceptualization of mental illness, self-concealment, social and other structural-policy barriers may prevent many from seeking help. Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and traumatic life events also impact sub-Saharan Africans. However, the way in which these individuals seek and access help for their concerns is uncertain. Additionally, mental health is conceptualized in such a manner that there seems to exist a profound gap between emotional wellness and severe mental illness. In this case, individuals are described as either healthy or severely ill. In response to the call to reengineer the future of work in a post-covid era, we discuss how to intervene and maintain overall mental wellness.

Keywords

• depression
• anxiety
• mental wellness
• intervention
• help-seeking
• subsaharan africa