A nation’s unspoken wounds: The mental health issue in Ghana

If a person breaks a bone, they immediately go to the hospital. But if their mind is breaking, where do they go to?

Each year, more than three million Ghanaians silently battle mental health conditions, yet fewer than 2% receive the necessary care.

These struggles aren’t just personal problems; they affect how individuals think, work, love, and live. Left untreated, they spread, tearing through families, friendships, classrooms, and communities; nonetheless, mental illness remains shrouded in stigma, myth, and uncomfortable silence.

The consequences of untreated mental health concerns ripple through society, shattering the pillars of our unity as a nation.

The rise in suicides, drug abuse, violence—these are not random tragedies: they are red flags waving high in a nation grappling with a quiet yet deadly epidemic. 

Mental Health: More than the absence of illness

Mental health is more than just “not being sick.” According to the World Health Organization, it encompasses how we regulate our emotions, build relationships, and deal with the stresses of daily life. It is just as real and important as physical health. Yet, we treat it as optional, something to deal with later, or worse, something to hide. True mental well-being is more than the absence of distress.

It is about cultivating joy, purpose, balance, and self-acceptance. Mental illness can affect anyone—regardless of age, class, or upbringing. In Ghana, these challenges often stem from a complex blend of biological, economic, and cultural pressures:

• Around 45% of cases are attributed to biological roots, genetics, brain chemistry, or neurological conditions.
• Financial stress and economic hardship trigger anxiety and depression in many households.
• And cultural expectations, family tensions, and relationship struggles deepen emotional strain.

These factors don’t just coexist. they feed into each other, creating a storm that many face with little to no support.

The hidden cost to society

Mental health issues are social as well as personal. They impact families, workplaces, and national progress. Ghana recorded 81 suicides and over 500 attempts in the first half of 2024, representing lives unraveling and communities unsure of how to help.

Behind the rising dropout rates, growing youth unemployment, and increasing domestic violence lies a common thread: untreated mental distress.

When left unaddressed, these issues hold an entire nation back from achieving its potential.

The youth are not okay

Young people are on the frontlines of this crisis. Social media, once hailed as a tool for connection, now often fuels anxiety, insecurity, and comparison.

Teens scroll through highlight reels of “perfect” lives and “flawless” bodies, feeling more and more like they’re not enough. In a 2022 survey, 70% of teenagers in Accra said what they saw online made them feel “not good enough.” That is not just a statistic:  it is a generation silently drowning in self-doubt.

These platforms, filtered and curated, don’t just warp reality—they isolate. Many teens feel pressured to maintain appearances online while falling apart offline. The result? A cycle of disingenuous connection and growing emotional distance.

Stigma: The silent barrier

Why don’t more people seek help? One word: stigma. In Ghana, mental illness is still seen by many as a sign of weakness or a spiritual curse.

People struggling are too often called “mad,” ridiculed, or dismissed. These harmful ideas don’t just shame individuals—they deter entire families from acknowledging problems or seeking care. Some relatives avoid treatment altogether, hoping the issue will “go away” or praying it won’t bring shame. But silence isn’t strength—it is suffering. And unless we break this stigma, more people will continue to suffer in the shadows.

Schools without support, youth without voices

Mental health support is nearly absent from our schools. There are barely enough trained professionals, and few safe spaces for students to speak freely.

Peer-reviewed, student-led mental health initiatives are rare, and even open conversations are blocked by fear of judgement or cultural taboos. Our students are navigating the pressure to succeed, the fear of failure, and the weight of personal trauma often alone. 

We’re leaving them unsupported in the very places that should protect them.

We can do better

This crisis isn’t some distant threat. It is here, and it is real. But it doesn’t have to remain this way. We need early intervention in schools. We need more youth-centered mental health services.We need to normalise conversations around emotional wellbeing.We must teach people that mental health is health. That struggling doesn’t mean you’re broken and seeking help doesn’t mean you’re weak. We must train more professionals, support mental health initiatives, and integrate mental health into our national healthcare system.

A national call to empathy

What’s happening in Ghana today is not just a crisis of medicine—it is a crisis of compassion. A failure to see, hear, and care for our fellow citizens.

This silence (the one that tells people to “man up”) is holding us back. So is the bigotry that implies mental illness makes someone less worthy of support or dignity.

But things can change. If we invest in mental health infrastructure, launch culturally sensitive awareness campaigns, and create safe spaces for people (especially the youth) to open up, we can start to heal.

Empowering young people to speak up, equipping schools with support systems, and integrating mental health into our national priorities aren’t luxuries. They’re lifelines. If we choose to listen, to learn, and to lead with empathy, we can begin to heal these hidden wounds. One conversation, one mind, one life at a time.

The writer, Alexis Aseda Baffour is a student of International Community School (ICS) – Accra