How Mental Health Challenges Inspired Nana Nyadia’s Music Career

Last week, the world celebrated Mental Health Day under the theme “It’s time to prioritize mental health in the workplace”.

Nana Nyadia, a young woman passionate about music, tells the story of how her mental health challenges gave rise to her music career.

Nyadia, a 23-year-old student at Isbat University studying Graphics and Design, says the challenges began in 2022, when she was in Senior Five.

She fell in love with a young man, but then things didn’t go as she expected, which led to their separation.

“I couldn’t take it. I cried. I was devastated when he ended the relationship for no reason. That’s when I started thinking about suicide,” says Nyadia.

She adds: “I would stand on the balcony of one of my school buildings and say to myself, let me get down on the ground and this will be over. But then I thought about my parents and how they would feel. I would stop and abandon my plans.”

Nyadia says writing a song about this heartbreak healed her.

“Sad Song is the title of the song that healed me,” she reveals adding that in writing this song, she poured out her heart and pain.

“Surprisingly, I didn’t receive any professional counseling, I healed on my own,” says Nyadia.

The student talks about how she got bad grades and was afraid of her parents’ reaction, which also harmed her mental health.

“When I got bad grades, I used to cut myself with a razor blade. I was very afraid that my parents would judge or scold me. Whenever I cut myself, I felt pain and then relief,” says Nyadia.

After Sad Song, she wrote more songs, most of which deal with the mental health challenges she experienced. Music is now his therapy.

Why mental health is important

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as the state of well-being and how well you are able to deal with life situations, which is not static, as it is constantly changing.

Henry Nsubuga, director of the Counseling and Guidance Center at Makerere University, while speaking to the youth during the World Mental Health Day celebrations organized by Awesome Mind Speaks in Kampala, said we should make mental health a community issue.

Dr. Nsubuga argued that when the community you live in is healthy, then you as a person will also be healthy physically and mentally.

“If the community is contagious, it will affect your mental health. So what are you doing to make a difference? Every one of us, go back to where you are. How mentally healthy is your community? How mentally healthy is the guy who brought you here? How mentally healthy is the person sitting in your office? Are you aware of this?

Dr. Nsubuga emphasized the aspect of seeking counseling as one of the solutions to mental health challenges.

“I could be depressed, but that doesn’t mean that because I’m a therapist I don’t get emotionally discouraged. So we go to counseling because we want to get better. It could be procrastination, it could be anger management, and you want to get better at that. You might find it difficult. say no and that’s why you want to seek help,” said Dr. Nsubuga.

He cited anxiety, stress, depression and eating disorders as some of the mental health challenges people face.

D”Young people mainly struggle with anxiety, they are anxious about the future, who they will marry, source of livelihood, messages on social media also cause anxiety, which harms their mental health,” said Dr. Nsubuga.

Prossy Namirembe, a participant at the event, said that she is passionate about people with disabilities and the challenges they face in their daily lives, which is why she strives to do everything to improve their lives.

“When I was at university, I learned sign language to help a hearing-impaired student whose interpreter was not available 24/7 and yet she was studying with able-bodied students,” Namirembe narrated.

She added: “I was moved by her challenges and I learned sign language for her, helped her through university and we both finished and graduated. So I always strive to make life better for others as a way of helping people to deal with their mental health challenges.”

Esther Nakyanzi, an employee of Awesome Mind Speaks, a youth-led organization that advocates mental health among young people, said they are raising awareness among young people about mental health, ensuring inclusion by including people with disabilities, also doing outreach in schools such as means of raising awareness about mental health.

“People don’t take mental health seriously, so we are doing everything we can to create awareness about this issue. Many young people are involved in unhealthy activities, such as alcohol and drug abuse, which is dangerous to their mental health,” she explained. .

Nakyanzi said some young people don’t even know they have mental health problems, which is why his organization is focusing on them and creating awareness on the issue.

Mental health challenges around the world are a major concern.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health and the Uganda Counseling Association show that around 14 million Ugandans suffer from a form of mental disorder, with every 35 in every 100 struggling with mental health problems.