Jornal Internacional de Saúde Mental de Emergência e Resiliência Humana

Abstrato

The Evolution of Mental Health Understanding and Practice in Uganda

Norman D Nsereko

This paper examines the milestones in the process of building interventions in mental health to alleviate human suffering in Uganda. The objectives of the paper are to trace the kind of mental health services provided in Uganda at different periods, identify the different activities that have influenced the building of the counselling industry in Uganda, analyze the challenges facing the counselling industry in Uganda, and develop coping strategies to address existing challenges in the counselling field of in the country. Initially professional mental health services were provided to people described by society as ‘mad’ persons. However, the perception has gone on changing from time to time as the need to research deeper into counselling and mental health issues arise. Counselling services that are restricted to normal persons are a recent occurrence in Uganda. It is just recently that counselling is taking on a different twist in society but with great challenges.