Rising mental health cases sign of improved help-seeking, not new epidemic – Willingway CEO

The CEO of The Willingway Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre, Lydia Abena Manu Adofo, has emphasized that the increasing number of mental health cases in Ghana should not be viewed as a new epidemic, but rather a positive sign of improved help-seeking behavior. She attributes this rise to years of education and sensitization efforts aimed at reducing stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental illness.

Adofo expressed concern about the profile of cases her center receives, particularly the prevalence of substance abuse, which is often the root cause of mental health issues among young men who abuse drugs like tramadol, cannabis, cocaine, and synthetic drugs. She urged parents, schools, religious bodies, and community leaders to intensify drug prevention education and create safe spaces for young people to discuss their challenges.

Adofo also called on the government to make rehabilitation services more accessible by establishing public rehabilitation centers and psychiatric hospitals in each of Ghana's 16 regions.

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