What happens when a country is staring at an apparent mental health crisis but its people just don’t know what to do?
What do you do when a loved one informs you they are considering suicide? I want you to ponder your answer as you read through this piece. In Africa, the most common reaction is to call out the person with suicidal thoughts who has just opened up about how they are feeling.
“Don’t be silly!” – they’ll be told if lucky. If they are male, the default is to question where the potency of their masculinity has gone. “Are you not a man?” – they’ll be asked. Often even, the person is grilled over their reason for feeling suicidal. Almost to say there are stronger reasons for considering suicide or instances when it’s okay to take one’s own life.
Questions like: “Are you the first person to suffer a heartbreak?” or “why kill yourself over a girl?” as seen in the many public reactions to the unfortunate passing of Nicholas Kumi Dankwah – a freshman at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) in Ghana.
Nicholas allegedly hanged himself in his room at a university hostel after his 3-month old relationship with his girlfriend went south. A purported suicide note he left behind indicates he tried everything to make the relationship work, albeit unsuccessfully. This comes less than two years after a third year student in the same university succumbed to suicide.
As news of this latest incident went viral, it became apparent that the deceased might have opened up to someone about his suicidal thoughts, especially to his estranged girlfriend.
In fact, a photo which has since gone viral shows Nicholas was on a video call with his friends, essentially watching him go through with the act. Without prejudice, this takes me back to my opening question – what do you do when a loved one tells you they are considering suicide?
In the United Kingdom, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14.
In Ghana, who do you call? I have seen so many posts and hashtags online encouraging people to speak up or open up to someone when they feel distressed. Unfortunately, not many people have the capacity to process or even know what to do with such information. So what is the point in anyone speaking up when the people they could supposedly speak to, do not have the capacity to handle the information?
While you continue to ponder your answer, here’s another question for you. What will you do when a loved one says they have severe chest pains or a deep cut to their wrist? Of course, even without a medical degree, or specialist training, calling an ambulance immediately or trying to get them to the hospital for treatment is at the top of the list of things to do.
Despite being strongly linked with mental disorders such as depression and chronic anxiety, many suicides happen impulsively during crisis situations when people feel incapable of dealing with the pressures of life. This may be financial issues, relationship problems, or loss (of family or friends).
More than 720,000 people die by suicide every year, with up to 73 percent of these deaths happening in low and middle income countries like Ghana. According to the World Health Organisation, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among young people aged 15 – 29 years.
It is instructive to note that for every suicide case, there are many failed attempts and even more people who considered harming themselves. Given the numbers involved, there is no denying the fact that this is a major public health situation needing urgent attention.
So why does it feel like a helpless situation when we hear someone contemplating suicide?
It is, in part, because of the absence of a suicide prevention plan in Ghana – a national strategy which will among other things empower individuals, institutions, communities and the government to adequately respond to suicide as the crisis which it is fast becoming.
The government, courtesy a private members bill sponsored by Madina MP Francis-Xavier Sosu, decriminalised attempted suicide only in April 2023.While that is a crucial first step towards suicide prevention, Ghana is dealing with the unintended consequence of treating suicide as a criminal offence – the struggle to seek help when feeling suicidal even where help exists – still lingers.
We must understand that we are all different people, some stronger and more resilient than others. So much so that, even after considering the thought of how empty life will be after losing a loved one, they are able to pick themselves up and move on. But not everyone makes it past that phase without help. That is why making suicide prevention resources available and accessible at every level in the society cannot and should not be considered secondary as it currently is.
With timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions, suicides can be prevented. This must begin in schools, work places, churches and every other group or groups of places where people interact.
The WHO recommends coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors of society, including the health sector and other sectors such as education, labour, agriculture, business, justice, law, defence, politics and the media. These efforts, it says must be comprehensive and integrated given the multifaceted nature of suicide.
In the case of Ghana, government must immediately initiate the processes for the drafting and implementation of a national suicide prevention strategy. This strategy must among other things, include:
- Duty of care and mandatory safeguarding policies: This will require organisations to institute clear monitoring and reporting channels including gatekeeper training programmes where managers, teachers, and other individuals in positions of authority are trained to identify early signs of withdrawal and distress for timely interventions. These programmes increase awareness and confidence in identifying at-risk individuals, especially in workplace and school settings, and directing them to appropriate support services.
- Brief Interventions and Follow-Up Contacts: Simple, structured conversations paired with ongoing contact – such as phone calls, text messages, or visits – can have a significant impact in preventing suicide. Often used after someone has presented in crisis or been discharged from care, these follow up contacts provide connection and continuity. This could reduce repeat attempts and promote long-term engagement with mental health services.
- School-Based Mental Health Education: We must invest in integrating mental health education into school curricula to equip young people with essential skills to understand, manage, and talk about mental health. This helps to reduce stigma, encourage help-seeking behavior, and enable early identification of students who may be struggling.
- Digital Tools and Crisis Helplines: As we transition into an increasingly virtual society, online mental health tools and 24/7 crisis helplines provide accessible, anonymous support for individuals experiencing distress. These platforms can include self-assessment tools, chat support, and immediate connection to trained professionals.
It’s not a guarantee that people will not succumb to suicide but, these strategies, when implemented at scale as part of a deliberate national suicide strategy, will present would-be victims with a fighting chance and the appropriate support system to go through it.
While we wait for this government-backed intervention, I ask again — what do you do when a loved one informs you they are considering suicide?
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The writer, Manuel Koranteng is a journalist, mental health advocate and the Founder of MentaPulse Africa, which is Africa’s first employee mental health and wellbeing advocacy organisation based in Accra, Ghana.
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