Africa-Press – Lesotho. The recent talks on depression, leading to high rate of suicidal cases among men has captured the attention of mental health professionals. These conversations have been triggered by the passing on of the South African
singer, rapper and songwriter Rikhado Makhado, professionally known as Ricky Rick who committed suicide, reportedly due to depression. In a bid to fight against depression which has made a huge impact on the lives of
females and males, the Lesotho Free Counselling Agency has taken an initiative to assist vulnerable people in getting through depression, marriage counselling
and many others free of charge. Lesotho Free Counselling Agency Founder Tsotang Letsie highlighted that depression is high in women than men but suicide is common in men as compared to women.
“Depression is only limited to suicide, but suicide is a product of depression.
Most women are depressed but because of their ability to express and address their emotions and concerns, they are less likely to commit suicide,” he said.
Relating some of the factors that exacerbate depression in men, Letsie said the anxiety of whether they are men enough is one other key cause of depression in men
because they evaluate their manhood value from possession, respectability, financial and social status which is not precisely gendered as the society has
implicated. “We have since 2019 organized real talk campaigns for men only to create platforms for them to communicate about their emotional concerns.
In these campaigns we select a role player as someone who has gone through challenges and tribulations, and has found help from counselling. We also offer free
counselling to them,” noted Letsie. He further added that the major causes of depression in men are abusive parents, child negligence, low self-esteem, poverty, burdening responsibility (forced to
provide even when unable, dysfunctional marriage or families and non-communicative personalities. He blamed the society, saying it defines manhood through responsibilities, possessions and status, “these
characteristics are somehow binding for all men”. He said depression mostly affect 16-27 years youth. “For example not all men will be able to possess
assets in the form of cars, buildings and multiple investments. Not all men will secure a position of power and control in a society. Society defines men
through a certain degree of intellectual performance or physical attributes which are not common for all men hence creates more pressure and anxiety of
whether they are men enough,” he concluded. While sharing his experience with depression, Shale ‘Maleng indicated that depression is a mental illness as well as a sad topic, mostly sad in men because they are
affirmed as the strongest people who do not have to endure pain or be hurt by anything. He said men are expected to be strong in most cases. ‘Maleng disclosed that he used to be lost in thoughts and sometimes think of hurting
himself and every time that happens he would exercise every morning and evening or read motivational books and quotes. “Depression is here and it generates amongst men, so what we have to do is to speak up,” he advised.
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