WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2019

For my generation in Zimbabwe we grew up learning that men do not talk about their feelings; men don’t cry. Whatever happened away from home especially whilst herding cattle stayed there. My parents come from neighboring villages in Murewa. On my mother’s side I would be in the company of my older cousin mukoma Rememberance Mukarakate and on my father’s side it was my uncle who is now late Babamunini Masimba Tsiga. These men saved me from a lot of bullying in the 80s whilst herding cattle.

It was around 2006-2007 when I had gone to Mater Dei hospital when I saw what the doctor who had been treating was writing down; Anxiety Attack. The first time I had an anxiety attack was in 1986 in class at Amaveni Primary School in Kwekwe. I had been seated playing with my pen, the next moment I had swallowed the ink. Teachers must have told us that ink was poisonous. I had a panic attack and let out a secret that no one should have known.

I had a crash🙈 on Moleen whom I always competed with for the top spot as well as Martha Phiri who was always very lively in class. I stood up and shouted, “ndakufa ndichisiya mukadzi wangu Moleen na Martha”(I am dying leaving my wives Moleen and Martha). The teacher then called my mum and suggested to my mum that it must be evil spirits(chivanhu) so they must take me to a witch doctor.  My mum then answered her nah she did not believe in that stuff and if I ever did that again I must get a beating. My mum somehow believed that any mischief could be solved by a thorough beating. We never spoke about that incident at home.

A few weeks later Moleen came to ask me, I just jumped from the verandah and ran away. After we finished high school, I met Martha in 1995 and we laughed about it. I then had another anxiety attack in 2002, I then discovered that every time I was on antibiotics it could trigger an anxiety attack. I have come to know the triggers and how to cope with it and remain calm. I almost had a panic attack at work around 2010, I went outside the office I was sweating and feeling very nervous. I then called Viksha and she came to sit with me until I felt better. 

It’s important for a person to seek help and talk to someone about your problems and also seek professional help. I found this Ted talk video from Mel Robbins helpful in managing anxiety https://www.ted.com/talks/mel_robbins_how_to_stop_screwing_yourself_over/up-next?language=en. Please don’t suffer in silence.

Let us all help to remove the stigma around mental illness. Many people are committing suicide when they could have got help🙏🏿