Please this could be our daughter or sister. A signature is all they need, let’s show some solidarity because that was a terrible thing and way to die Amen. 💪
http://chng.it/bBFZqzWk
Let your disability not make you think you are unable…
Disability is not inability. The only limitation you have is usually that you place on yourself. Our young web developer, son of our founder has another passion of his, and he uses that to share inspiring and motivating messages like in this video of his. In the words of our founder:
“I am sharing this inspirational video by my own son Alain Michel once again because he talks about about disability using his recent experience and how this didn’t limit him from pursuing his basketball passion. May we all be inspired, motivated and encouraged OOOOOO. Thanks for viewing, liking, sharing and subscribing as the heart leads lol”
https://youtu.be/Ayt6BIICOWU
Stop stigmatization about mental health and mental illness.
https://youtu.be/AsI3xnAsmko
As we wrap up our mental health awareness month for May 2020 at H4AB, our field resource person Ms O today focused on STIGMA and how to cope with the stigma of mental illness. Let’s follow the link to our Youtube channel to watch, like and subscribe for more videos.
Report of H4AB’s Mental Health Awareness Campaign 2020
The month of May is fast coming to end and we as an association at Hope for the Abused and Battered (H4AB), have done our best to raise Mental Health Awareness (MHA) throughout this month. Our founder/C.E.O launched the MHA Month this May 2020, insisting that there is hope and we must get informed so we help each other better. The apt theme for this year’s MHA campaign week was kindness and the current Covid-19 pandemic calls for more kindness towards self and towards one another.
During this month, our team raised awareness on the following topics:
1-Mental Health Awareness Month: What to know.
2-Domestic abuse and mental health awareness.
3-Juvenile delinquency and mental health.
4-. Child abuse and mental health.
5. Substance abuse and mental health.
6- Covid-19 pandemic and mental health awareness.
7 – Mental health challenges of infected and affected people.
8 – Mental health of medical personnel during this period of COVID-19.
9- Mental health challenges can lead to a mental illness.
10- Stop stigmatization about mental health and mental illness.
To add momentum to the MHA campaign, H4AB will be hosting the first Mental Health Matters Open Day on the 10th of June 2020. This event is FREE and will will be having resource speakers, Internally Displaced Persons and vulnerable people, a special song produced in collaboration with a musical band of young internally displaced Cameroonians.
Worthy to highlight, this event is part of a project funded by the Africa Regional Democracy Fund (ARDF) program of the US Embassy in Cameroon.
For a detailed report on our MHA kindly go to: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14nACbbmP2K9oDkW2hC_1E271ohmWMq79/view?usp=sharing
For more information about our upcoming first Mental Health Matters Open Day event that comes up on10th of June 2020, kindly go to :
https://www.hope4abusedbattered.com/2020/05/28/official-mental-health-matter-open-day-june-10th/
To listen to the Mental Health Matters Open day theme song titled ‘Show Love’, kindly go to this link: https://youtu.be/mO6d5VslNWk
Do you or anyone you know want to be a part of such a milestone event? Are you or they in Douala, Cameroon? Do you want to support us or be a partner?
Kindly email us at hope@hope4abusedbattered.com
Visit our website www.hope4abusedbattered.com
Give us a call/WhatsApp # +237672576011
#hopefortheabusedbattered
#mentalhealthmattersopenday
#showsomelove
#thereishope
#teamhope
#bethehope
Official: Mental Health Matter Open Day, June 10th
Hope for the Abused and Battered (H4AB) is hosting the first Mental Health Matters Open Day in the city of Douala, Cameroon on the 10th of June 2020. They have worked in collaboration with a musical band of young internally displaced but talented kids under the name “Lucid Gang” to produce an apt theme song titled ‘Show Love’. You can sure listen to the tune with this link: https://youtu.be/mO6d5VslNWk
This day is organized to raise awareness on mental health, sensitize the public on the challenges vulnerable people such as internally displaced persons face, and advocate for more self awareness, compassion and support towards persons living with a mental health challenge or a mental illness.
Do you or anyone you know want to be a part of such a milestone event? Are you or they in Douala, Cameroon? Do you want to support us or be a partner?
The event is free and lunch will be provided; although due to the Covid-19 Pandemic measures we are limited to a crowd of 25 persons.
Mental health challenges can lead to a mental illness
A mental health challenge is challenge or condition affecting the brain that influences the way a person thinks, feels, behaves and/or relates to others and to his or her surroundings. A mental health challenge can equally lead to a mental illness or mental health disorder which refers to a wide range of mental health conditions that affect your thoughts, mood and behaviour.
Our community tend to perceive mental health challenges as either a family curse, the effects of witchcraft or a spiritual problem. No matter how minor or critical a person experiences mental health challenge(s), if left under looked, that may lead to serious consequences and in some cases these may be fatal.
Anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are just some of the illnesses mental health challenges and persons experiencing either or more symptoms are prone to have if their mental health challenges are not properly addressed.
Mental illness is a serious issue and should be taken care of seriously by both the patient and caregiver. For example, there are certain things you shouldn’t say to someone who has a mental health disorder in order not to hurt them further.
More about this at https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a33096/what-not-to-say-to-someone-with-depression/
You can also read more on cases of mental health at https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/mental-illness-stories/
A mental illness can lead to misery and can also cause problems in your daily routine, such as at school, work or in relationships. In most cases, symptoms can be managed with a combination of medications and therapy.
Some of the symptoms of mental illness include:
• Feeling sad or down, confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate;
• Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt;
• Extreme mood changes of highs and lows, withdrawal from friends and activities;
• Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping;
• Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations;
• Inability to cope with daily problems or stress, trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people;
• Problems with alcohol or drug use, major changes in eating habits, sex drive changes;
• Excessive anger, hostility or violence; suicidal thinking;
Sometimes symptoms of a mental health disorder appear as physical problems, such as stomach pain, back pain, headaches, or other unexplained aches and pains.
It is important to reach out to someone suffering from either a mental health challenge or a mental illness. By reaching out, you should adopt a calm approach and ask few and friendly questions. Also encourage the patient consult with his/her primary care provider or a mental health professional.
Our association Hope for the Abused and Battered is also here to provide other forms of psychosocial and psychotherapeutic support.
Do you know anyone or are you suffering from a mental health challenge and need help?
Please, do not hesitate to contact us through any of the links below.
Kindly email us at hope@hope4abusedbattered.com
Visit our website www.hope4abusedbattered.com
Give us a call/WhatsApp # +237672576011
#hopefortheabusedandbattered
#mentalhealthchallenges
#mentalhealthdisorders
#mentalhealthawarenessmonth
#thereishope
##showkindness
Ahead of the first Mental Health Open Day in our city organized by our association
Our founder visited the studio where the theme song is being produced. The song is aptly titled Show them Love, composed and sang by the Lucid Gang, a trio of young dynamic and talented artists in Douala, Cameroon.
Kindly email us at hope@hope4abusedbattered.com
visit our website www.hope4abusedbattered.com
Give us a call/WhatsApp # +237672576011 and
Support us by mobile money – account name is Hope for the Abused and Battered.
We are also on PayPal with the address hope4ab18@gmail.com
Thank you very much
Mental Health of Medical Personnel during this Covid-19 pandemic
Health care workers are more at risk as they are the front liner in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. They are exposed to hazards that put them at risk of infection and burnouts. Challenges they face include, psychological stress, fatigue, pathogen exposure, long working hours, stigma, physical and Psychological violence.
Watch, like, share and subscribe to show some love
Mental Health Awareness week in perspective
Our founder in this video talks about our mental health awareness drive especially during this week which is set aside as the Mental health awareness week. The apt theme for this year is kindness and the current Covid-19 pandemic calls for more kindness and nothing less. Watch, like, share and do not forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more of our awareness and sensitization videos.
Mental health of medical personnel during this period of Covid-19
Health care workers are more at risk as they are the front line workers in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. They are exposed to hazards that put them at risk of infection and burnouts. Challenges they face include, psychological stress, fatigue, pathogen exposure, long working hours, stigma, physical and Psychological violence.
Due to stigma surrounding the disease and the increasing rate of patients, dead rates, difficulties in acquiring a cure and the helpless nature of the situation, the mental state of health workers is affected. As a result, jobs are abandoned and some even go as far as committing suicide.
In NewYork USA, a Doctor took her own life due to the covid-19 progression. She felt helpless due to the increasing number of cases and lack of treatment. Source:https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_z_4DXh_Qw/?igshid=1fqifspo78tdrource:
In Cameroon, Health personnel are being attacked by families for declaring their love ones Covid-19 patients. Again families are dissatisfied with the area and manner in which their love ones are buried by the state. Reasons being that, they will like to bury in their respective villages. Source:https://www.voanews.com/africa/cameroon-doctors-ask-protection-attacks-covid-carriers-increase.
The world health organisation has put out an interim guide which highlights the rights and responsibilities of health workers including the specific measures needed to protect occupational safety and health.These rights are to be implemented by governments through the various health units. Putting in place of these measures might help in maintaining the mental health of Medical personnel and better treatment of patients. The rights of health workers include;
• The provision of protective devises to health workers;
• The provision of training to health workers in dealing with the pandemic;
• Familiarize personnel with update of Covid-19 spread and prevention measures;
• Provide appropriate security measures to personnel to ensure their safety;
• Advice health workers on self-assessment, symptom reporting and staying at home when ill;
• Provide access to mental health and counselling resources;
• Provide a blame-free environment in which health workers can report on incidents, such as exposures to blood or bodily fluids from the respiratory system, or cases of violence, and adopt measures for immediate follow up, including support to victims;
• Refresher training on infection prevention and control (IPC);
• Training on the use, putting on, taking off and disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE);
• follow established occupational safety and health procedures, avoid exposing others to health and safety risks, and participate in employer-provided occupational safety and health training;
Responsibilities of frontline health workers include:
• Treat patients with respect, compassion, and dignity;
• Maintain patient confidentiality;
• Swiftly follow established public health reporting procedures of suspected and confirmed cases;
• Provide or reinforce accurate public health information to concerned people who have neither symptoms nor risk;
• Put on, use, take off, and dispose of PPE properly;
• Self-monitor for signs of illness and self-isolate and report illness to managers.
• Inform management if they are experiencing signs of undue stress or mental health challenges that require supportive interventions;
• Report to their immediate supervisor any situation which they have reasonable justification to believe presents an imminent and serious danger to life or health
Read more on who.int/publications-detail/coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-outbreak-rights-roles-and-responsibilities-of-health-workers-including-key-considerations-for-occupational-safety-and-health
Are you a medical personnel? What do you do to take care of your mental health during this Covid-19 pandemic?
Do not suffer in silence, we are offering free psychotherapeutic support to medical personnels in Cameroon who reach out to us
Kindly email us at hope@hope4abusedbattered.com
Visit our website www.hope4abusedbattered.com
Give us a call/WhatsApp # +237672576011
#hopefortheabusedbattered
#mentalhealthmatters
#mentalhealthawarenessmonth
#Couragetomedics
#thereishope
#bethehope