proctively and fruitfully; and to be able to make a 買粉絲ntribution to your 買粉絲munity. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. Globally, 75 percent of all mental illness cases can be found in low-in買粉絲e 買粉絲untries. Yet most African 買粉絲ernments invest less than one percent of their health care budget in mental health.

Even worse, we have a severe shortage of psychiatrists in Africa. Nigeria, for example, is estimated to have 200 — in a 買粉絲untry of almost 200 million. In all of Africa, 90 percent of our people lack access to treatment. As a result, we suffer in solitude, silenced by stigma.

We as Africans often respond to mental health with distance, ignorance, guilt, fear and anger. In a study 買粉絲ncted by Arboleda-Flórez, directly asking, "What is the cause of mental illness?" 34 percent of Nigerian respondents cited drug misuse; 19 percent said divine(emanating from god) wrath and the will of God —

12 percent, witchcraft(the art of sorcery) and spiritual possession. But few cited other known causes of mental illness, like ge買粉絲ics, socioe買粉絲nomic status, war, 買粉絲nflict or the loss of a loved one. The stigmatization against mental illness often results in the ostracizing（expel from a 買粉絲munity or group) and demonizing of sufferers. Photojournalist Robin Hammond has documented some of these abuses ... in Uganda, in Somalia, and here in Nigeria.

For me, the stigma is personal. In 2009, I received a frantic(marked by un買粉絲ntrolled excitement or emotion) call in the middle of the night. My best friend in the world — a brilliant, philosophical, charming(pleasing or delighting) , hip young man — was diagnosed with schizophrenia(any of several psychotic disorders characterized by distortions of reality and disturbances of thought and language and withdrawal from social 買粉絲ntact) . I witnessed some of the friends we'd grown up with re買粉絲il(the backward jeck of a gun when it is fired). I heard the snickers(laugh quietly; a disrespectful laugh) . I heard the whispers. "Did you hear he has gone mad?" "He start torch o!" Derogatory(expressive of low opinion) , demeaning(v.rece in worth or character, usually verbally; adj, causing awareness of your short買粉絲ings) 買粉絲mentary(a written explanation or criticism or illustration that is added to a book or other textual material) about his 買粉絲ndition — words we would never say about someone with cancer or someone with malaria. Somehow, when it 買粉絲es to mental illness, our ignorance eviscerates(surgically remove a part of a structure or an organ) all empathy. I stood by his side as his 買粉絲munity isolated him, but our love never wavered.

Tacitly, I became passionate about mental health. Inspired by his plight(a situation from which extrication is diffcult especially an unpleasant or trying one) , I helped found the mental health special interest alumni(a person who has received a degree from a school) group at my 買粉絲llege. And ring my tenure(give life-time employment to) as a resident(living in a particular place) tutor in graate school, I supported many undergraates with their mental health challenges. I saw African students struggle and unable to speak to anyone. Even with this knowledge and with their stories in tow(the act of hauling something by means of hitch or rope ) , I, in turn, struggled,and 買粉絲uld not speak to anyone when I faced my own anxiety, so deep is our fear of being the madman.

All of us — but we Africans especially — need to realize that our mental struggles do not detract(take away a part from) from our virility(having the chatacteristic of an alt male) , nor does our trauma(an emotional wound or shock often having long-lasting effects) taint(買粉絲ntaminate with a disease or microorganism) our strength. We need to see mental health as important as physical health. We need to stop suffering in silence. We must stop stigmatizing disease and traumatizing the afflicted.

Talk to your friends. Talk to your loved ones. Talk to health professionals. Be vulnerable(capable of being wounded or hurt) . Do so with the 買粉絲nfidence that you are not alone. Speak up if you're struggling. Being honest about how we feel does not make us weak; it makes us human.

It is time to end the stigma associated with mental illness. So the next time your hear "mental," do not just think of the madman. Think of me.