Uganda: Stigma Keeps Ugandans With Mental Illness From Care

A new WHO estimate suggests that over a billion people worldwide are living with mental health conditions. However, in Uganda, stigma associated with mental illness is preventing many people from seeking help, warn mental health experts. Dr Richard Mpango, a clinical psychologist and epidemiologist, explained that serious mental illness accounts for only a small fraction of criminal cases.

In the US, for instance, only about 4% of criminal cases involve serious mental illness alone. During a recent discussion hosted by Haven Mental Health Foundation, experts highlighted the dangers of assuming everyone with a mental health condition is violent. Dr Julius Muron, a senior consultant psychiatrist specializing in forensic psychiatry, emphasized that people with severe mental illness are often more likely to experience neglect, abuse, and violence than to commit violent crimes themselves.

He pointed out that people with mental health conditions are more vulnerable to mistreatment rather than perpetrators. The fear of being stigmatized can lead individuals to avoid seeking help, fearing they will be labeled as "mad," "weak," "dangerous," or "unemployable." This stigma can cause families to hide mental health conditions due to societal judgment.

Experts warned that substance use, particularly alcohol and illicit drugs, plays a significant role in many cases involving mental health and crime. In Uganda, about one-third of people on remand in Luzira Remand Prison suffer from substance use disorders, and around 7% of prisoners sentenced to death had consumed alcohol before their offenses.

However, Dr Muron stressed that mental illness alone does not guarantee criminal behavior. The relationship between mental illness, substance use, and crime is complex and influenced by various factors such as treatment availability, family support, and substance use.