The majority of people with mental illness that turn up for treatment at mental health facilities in Lango Sub Region are a result of heavy drinking and substance abuse.
Bonny Ocen, a Senior Psychiatric Clinical Officer at Lira Regional Referral Hospital disclosed that, in recent years, many youth have resorted to heavy consumption of alcohol and consumption of drugs including marijuana, kubar, magic mushroom, aburyang and cocain among others.
He said many cases that are handled at Lira Regional Referral Mental Health Unit involves people who have develop mental illness due to overconsumption of alcohol and such other drugs.
For example Kubar which originates from India he said is highly addictive and exposes the users to the extremely harmful effects of tobacco including mental illness.
Other drugs that are very harmful to mental health being heavily abused by the youth he said also include magic mushroom, marijuana, aburyang, petrol and cocain.
These he said have resulted to increased criminal acts including domestic violence, theft and violent murders within the community.
Ocen however urged government to have some restrictions on the importation of such substance in the country to reduce problems that arise for its use.
“These drugs in addition to alcohol distort your brain, and whatever distorts your brain leads to mental problem,” Ocen said during a one day health camp organized for alcohol and drug users at Onyonocac Cell in Alito Town Council, Kole district on March 7, 2023.
He noted that people who develops mental sickness must seek medical help at an early stage or else their condition would turn into full madness.
Francis Ecel also a Senior Psychiatric Clinical Officer working at Lira Referral Health Unit said besides mental illness, too much consumption of alcohol can lead to liver problem, loss of manhood vision impairment.
“And yet if you lose your manhood, your wife will sneak out and who you realize that she is sneaking out, domestic violence will come in,” Ecel said.
The health camp was organized by Michele Filippini Hitux an Italian Missionary in conjunction with Dr. Richard Nam, a Senior Gynecologist who is a commissioner with Uganda Aids Commission.
Michele said this was the second health camp that they have organized in the area for alcohol and substance addicts to help them quit drinking and use of dangerous drugs.
He said during the health camp, mental health specialists talk to people about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse before the willing persons are given drugs that enable them quit alcohol and cigarette.
“I started thinking about bringing a health camp for alcohol and drugs addicts in this area after a young boy came to me and requested me to talk to his mother because she heavily takes alcohol and because of that, she has failed to pay his school fees,” Michele said.
He expressed happiness for the high turn up by alcohol and drugs addicts who received drugs that enable the leave drinking and smoking.
“I pray to God for those who will still continue drinking after this health camp, but my suggestion to them is that they should stop if they want to live a healthy life,” Said Michele who is also known as Okello.
Meanwhile Dr. Richard Nam who is one of the organizers of the health camp said their intention is to rollout Alcoholic health camp throughout Lango Sub Region so that many youth are helped to stop drinking.
“The drugs they are giving alcohol addicts during this health camp are very effective in stopping alcohol consumption, so I encourage people to attend in big number,” Nam said.
He said sometime in future they would wish to include the clan system in mobilization so that many youths can be reached and helped from the effects of alcoholism and substance abuse.
Out of over 150 people who turned up for the health camp, the majority were alcohol addicts who wanted to stop drinking.
