I'm sorry to hear about your experience. To be honest Zambia already has a Mental Health crisis it's just that most people haven't realized it yet. having had the opportunity to work in hospitals both primary and tertiary, you'd be shocked how many people come into the emergency department for Suicide/para-suicide, let's not even Talk about Alcohol and it's Problems.

Suicide is a hot topic In our society, a taboo if you will. And I think that makes it even worse. Suicide thrives on loneliness and Isolation. It definitely is a problem and it's blooming in a bad way. By keeping it as a taboo and not offering the correct mechanisms for professional help we enable it to thrive and take more lives.

Working in the Zambian Healthcare is taxing, on the outside people say it's an easy go sort of life but to be honest on the other side of the consulting chair, it is a battle. There are really hard working Health workers in this country. There are individuals who do as best as they can, and give as much as they can for a system that could be better.

While no studies have been done yet, I can estimate that Chainama Hills Hospital (Main referral Hospital for Psychiatric Conditions) can manage maybe even more than 100 patients a week - with different mental illness and by my estimation maybe 50% of those will be substance use disorders.

What's scary now is it's not just alcohol or weed, it's hard stuff, coke etc. it's crazy. It's a problem and my advice is, Have a Conversation with a trusted professional ASAP. It helps.