Mental health advocate, Henry Adams, has raised concerns about the misconceptions and cultural stigma surrounding mental health in Ghana, stressing that these barriers discourage many people from seeking professional help. Speaking on Focus FM’s TeknoKrat Show with host Khayrullah Issah Dobo, Adams explained that mental health is often wrongly equated with “madness,” a view that prevents people from even engaging in basic education on the subject.
“Anytime you talk about mental health, people attribute it to madness, and that makes them unwilling to listen, even when it’s about education,” he said. He further noted that cultural attitudes and fear of stigmatization make conversations about mental well-being difficult.
Many, he added, are afraid that their personal struggles will be exposed if they confide in others. “There’s this misconception that if you open up, your issues will spread.
That fear of exposure discourages people from seeking help,” Adams remarked. Despite these setbacks, he encouraged the public to take advantage of available resources.
He advised individuals battling suicidal thoughts to seek professional care, emphasizing that support is now more accessible through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). “Now, if you have NHIS, you can use it to access mental health care at the hospital without paying out of pocket,” he clarified.
Adams stressed that suicide is never a solution. “Ending your life is not the issue, it’s the beginning of a bigger problem.
Nothing justifies taking your own life,” he said. He urged Ghanaians to be more proactive in supporting their loved ones.
“Always check up on your friends and family once you notice something unusual. Sometimes, just reaching out can make a big difference,” he advised.