windhoek — Namibia leads in Africa when it comes to suicides.
The untimely death of the great musician Ras Sheehama has helped spotlight the pandemic of depression and suicide in Namibia, which now leads the list of suicide cases in Africa.
As someone who has talked and written about my own mental health challenges, it pains me to read of the several suicides a week that Namibia averages. These sorrowful statistics need to be drastically reduced. However, it is not that easy. Depression and suicidal thoughts are not easy to spot. Not even by professionals. We often hear the phrase after someone has committed suicide, they didn’t seem suicidal.’ That is precisely the challenge; mental health challenges are rarely visible.
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When we think of disability, our minds often jump to what is visible – a wheelchair, a cane, a prosthetic limb. These are visible signs that someone may need understanding, accommodation, or support, and we hopefully act accordingly. Mental health challenges do not manifest or announce themselves so clearly. Depression is for many people a profound example of an invisible disability. It can be just as limiting as any other disability, yet it often goes unrecognized and untreated.
I often have to explain that depression is not simply “feeling sad.” It is a medical condition that impairs concentration, decision-making, energy levels, and interacting with the world can be too much of a challenge. Yet from the outside, there may be no visible sign of this struggle. A person might appear “fine,” smiling in public, meeting deadlines, and making small talk. However, at the same time, they are battling exhaustion, hopelessness, and a constant mental fog.
This invisibility leads to colleagues, friends, and even family members underestimating the severity of the condition or dismissing it entirely. One of the most significant challenges for people living with depression is the societal expectation to “snap out of it” or “just be positive.” These phrases, however well-intentioned, reveal a fundamental misunderstanding: depression is not a choice; it cannot be waved away like magic. One of the reasons we struggle with depression and keeping mental health on an even keel is that it is a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. As with a physical ailment or disability, it requires appropriate treatment, support, and understanding.
When depression is not recognized as a legitimate disability, individuals may be denied the workplace flexibility, academic adjustments, or social understanding they need to function. We must do better as employers, as a nation, and at every stage in life, to remove the terrible stigma that surrounds dealing with depression and mental health issues. This lack of recognition can deepen feelings of isolation and shame, making recovery even more complicated.
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Recognizing depression as a valid yet invisible disability is not about labeling people. It means fostering a culture where people feel safe to disclose their struggles without fear of being judged as weak or unreliable. It is the only way in which we can put an immediate stop to the pandemic of suicides in the Land of the Brave.
The more we talk openly about depression, the more we chip away at the stigma that keeps it hidden. Just as ramps and elevators make physical spaces accessible, open dialogue and mental health literacy make emotional spaces safer. Are we brave enough as a nation to do this?
Dr. John Steytler is former CEO of the Development Bank of Namibia and was Economic Advisor to President Hage Geingob.
