Mental health is a lifeline, not a luxury

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The 2025 World Mental Health Day theme, “Mental Health is Not a Luxury – It is a Lifeline” is a powerful message that demands urgent attention, particularly across the Caribbean and African regions. For too long, we have treated mental well-being as a tertiary concern, a luxury to be indulged only after all basic needs are met. This mindset is not only ethically unsound but is actively undermining the resilience and development of our communities.

The struggle for mental health in our regions is compounded by deep-seated stigma and profound vulnerability. In many of our societies, mental distress is often met with cultural dismissiveness, “just pray,” “be strong,” or “it’s a spiritual problem” which forces individuals into silence, fearing shame and isolation. This silence is a severe barrier to care, transforming manageable challenges into chronic crises.

Further, the escalating realities on the ground from persistent economic hardship and poverty in Nigeria and South Africa, to the recurrent devastation caused by climate change-driven hurricanes in the Caribbean, are generating widespread trauma, anxiety, and depression. When families lose their livelihoods and homes in a storm, the psychological fallout is not an optional extra; it is a critical, life-altering consequence that must be addressed immediately. Mental health support is missing from most disaster recovery and poverty alleviation efforts, yet it is essential for rebuilding lives.

Recognising mental health as a lifeline requires a fundamental paradigm shift and a dedicated, culturally-sensitive strategy. Our governments and regional bodies must:

1. Launch localised campaigns using trusted community leaders, storytelling, and local media to normalize seeking help.

2. Move mental health services out of isolated institutions and into primary healthcare centres, training nurses and general practitioners to provide basic screening and psychological first aid.

3. Fund the training of more local psychiatrists and counsellors who understand the unique cultural contexts and can integrate traditional healing practices with modern psychology for more relevant, accessible care.

4. Mandate that mental health support is a core, funded component of every disaster response, conflict resolution, and public health budget.

By investing in mental health as a lifeline, we are investing directly in stronger families, higher economic productivity, and more resilient nations. We must move beyond the rhetoric and provide the time, resources, and compassion necessary to ensure every citizen has access to this fundamental human right.

MONIQUE LYNCH

monique.lynch@uwimona.

edu.jm