05 Oct 2026

Botswana Christian Health & AIDS Intervention Programme chief executive officer has urged men to normalise seeking therapy as they account for 80 per cent of suicide deaths.

Speaking at the Assemblies of God Men’s Pitso in Kaanye recently, Ms Brigdet Mphusu revealed that about 17 per cent of men were registered seeking help from mental health professional last year, compared with 29 per cent of women.

According to her, societal and traditional expectations associated with extreme self-reliance, emotional restrictions and reluctance to show vulnerability contributed to men’s resistance to seek help. 

For his part, a counsellor at the Botswana Prisons Service, Mr Taolo Mogale said men take mental health issues lightly, as by default, societal expectations were that men ought not to show their weaknesses especially by crying when overwhelmed by pain.

He therefore urged them to learn to cry when there was a need, saying it would help them avoid living under pressure due to bottling up matters.

Mr Mogale encouraged men to speak out and emulate their female counterparts who had normalised attending empowerment platforms to support one another.

He advised men to reach out to institutions offering counselling such as Men and Boys for Gender equality, Botswana Network on Mental Health and Mindful Movement Organisation.

Mr Mogale said men should also be leaders in their families, teach their children to live in a godly way and encourage young people to heed their parents’ advice and guidance.ENDS