In Uganda, recent data paint a troubling picture of mental health and suicide in Uganda.
As the world marks International Youth Day today under the theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” it is important to remember that the aspirations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development cannot be achieved without the well-being of young people.
Mental health, social inclusion, and community belonging are at the heart of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)–yet these remain under threat as more youth grapple with loneliness, disconnection, and the silent crisis of suicide.
These days, it is rare to find young people not glued to their phones, browsing the internet intently.
Even amidst what you would refer to as a key knowledge-sharing event for youth, many would actively be scrolling through their social media pages in search of ‘what is trending’.
This syndrome, among other factors, is for a fact one of the causes of the skyrocketing social disconnection among young people.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) report, Commission on Social Connection, underscores this. According to the study, between 2014 and 2023, an estimated 16 percent of people worldwide – one in six – experienced loneliness.
Social disconnection, the report expounds, affects all ages and regions but is most common among adolescents and young adults (20.9 percent among 13-17-year-olds and 17.4 percent among 18-29-year-olds) and decreases with age.
Social isolation and loneliness, the report adds, have serious impacts on mortality, physical health, and mental health. New estimates suggest that loneliness accounts for approximately 871 000 deaths each year (2014-2019).
In Uganda, recent data paint a troubling picture of mental health and suicide in Uganda.
The 2024 National Population and Housing Census revealed that approximately 272,271 Ugandans reported suicidal thoughts or attempts over the past decade–nearly 40,000 among those aged 10-14, 36,615 among teenagers (15-19), and 34,697 among young adults aged 20-24.
The WHO report affirms. It is also more common in low-income countries, where nearly one in four people (24 percent) report feeling lonely, driven by modernity, industrialisation, technological change and secularization.
In addition, poor physical or mental health (especially depression), personality traits such as neuroticism, being without a partner or unmarried, living alone, and features of the built environment such as poor access to public transport have been profoundly proven to be the drivers of social disconnection.
Fortunately, the report highlights a major solution to curbing loneliness: incorporating the social connection of our public health care system with emphasis on advocacy, public campaigns, networks, and coalitions to promote social connection in society.
The aforementioned solutions are viable. Young people need to continually be reminded that if you overly isolate yourself, the chances of hallucination are high, just because the mind is in abeyance.
They say, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop” – when loneliness finds you in a state of thirst for something you have for so many years, it becomes easy for it, the “devil,” to manipulate you.
The WHO recommendations can even work stronger with a mix of relatable activities for the young people.
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For instance, in my experience with GN (Generation Now) Trybe, a Reach A Hand Uganda youth empowerment initiative, to attract young people’s attention, the sessions are often incorporated with some trendy music, dance, and games, just to get the ‘vibe’ out.
GN Trybe has reached several schools across Uganda, including St. Joseph’s SS Naggalama, Mbogo College, St. Henry’s College Kitovu, and Kisaasi College, among others, and ignited critical conversations and positive behaviour change among thousands of students.
And surely, these engagements have proven that having positive vibes or a sense of connection in social gatherings offers numerous benefits, including improved mental and physical health, reduced stress and anxiety, and increased self-esteem and happiness among the youth.
Let’s prioritize social connection to rebuild social bonding. We can do it by reaching out, listening more, and making time for real conversations.
