Mental health experts have implored the government and other key stakeholders to increase awareness to minimise its dangers of the vice.
In a statement issued to mark the October 10 World Mental Health Day, Mr Yahaya Wanda, the Country Director of Nordic Mindset in Uganda, said that schools, universities, workplaces, and governments should join this massive mental health awareness to join movement to eliminate the vice.
‘Mental health is not just the absence of illness; it’s the presence of awareness, balance, and purpose. Our mission is to guide people back to themselves, to help them reconnect with who they truly are and live with meaning,’ he said.
Nordic Mindset, he said, stands at the forefront of a global movement to redefine how individuals, communities, and institutions understand and care for mental wellbeing.
‘Rooted in The New Psychology, a powerful framework that bridges science, empathy, and practical life tools, Nordic Mindset continues to inspire transformation across continents. With mental health challenges rising worldwide, particularly among youth and working professionals, Nordic Mindset brings a renewed sense of hope,’ he said.
His remarks came a few months after the executive director of Butabika hospital, Dr Juliet Nakku, revealed that a significant number of graduates are among their mental health patients currently admitted at the hospital.
Dr Nakku in an earlier interview this year, linked the increased mental health issues among the graduates and other youths to drug and alcohol abuse.
‘We have so many graduates in Butabika, from different courses, engineers, lawyers, among others. These are not able to be productive because of their mental health, which is primarily caused by them,’ she said.
She added, ‘The mental health among youth has been a problem especially after Covid-19 over the last three years.. More than 70 per cent of the population are youths who are now suffering a lot of mental health including mild, moderate we are seeing common mental disorders like depression, anxiety and sadly, alcohol and substance abuse.’
A study by the Ministry of Health in May 2022 revealed that 14 million Ugandans are mentally ill, where some experience some sort of suicidal thoughts.
The latest June statistics from the same Ministry revealed a concerning 25 per cent increase in mental health cases over the past four years.
In the 2023-2024 financial year, 616,175 cases were recorded in outpatient departments, up from 491,013 in 2020-2021.
These figures, Mr Wanda said, highlight an urgent need for proactive, evidence-based approaches to mental well-being. Nordic Mindset not only supports global awareness campaigns but also offers proven and guaranteed solutions that empower individuals to heal and thrive.
‘Its mission is not only to talk about mental health but to equip individuals with 32 transformative life tools and principles that help them heal, thrive, and build emotional resilience. Through seminars, mentorship programs, and international collaborations, the Nordic Mindset team has already reached thousands of people, empowering them to overcome depression, anxiety, and trauma. Participants report significant life improvements, deeper emotional balance, and the ability to lead others toward personal and professional growth,’ he said.