Mental health is an issue that affects us all, whether directly or indirectly. It’s not an easy topic to tackle and can be very triggering. Some of the mental health issues include anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, depression, bipolar disorders, insomnia, loneliness and eating disorders. There are more. 

Amooye has managed to shine a spotlight on a lot of the issues around mental health and we think that this is commendable. In honour of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, we will reflect briefly on the journey of one of the characters on the show and how they’ve battled with their mental health. 

Muta’s story

Muta has had so many things happen to her on Amooye. She lost her child, she was violated by her husband and she was almost arrested. She was also abandoned by her lover – and her friends have also not been there for her. She starts to hallucinate and have panic attacks and we get a front-row seat as she battles depression. 

She has kept everything inside and has now reached the point of no return and she is unravelling. Her family and her in-laws are not supportive of her and her decisions but we see her finally standing up for herself, which is commendable. 

What can we all individually do in support of mental health?

• Be a little kinder 
• Don’t judge others harshly 

• Stop cyber bullying 
• Check in on your loved ones 
• Speak to someone you trust 
• It’s okay to say no and to prioritise your needs
• Seek professional help 
• Find accredited professional resources within the region you're in (virtual counselling, telephone lines, in-person counselling) 

If your mental health is suffering or you know someone who is, there is nothing to be ashamed of. As season 2 of #ZMAmooye comes to an end, we want to give special mention to the cast and crew for bringing some of these issues to the surface, no matter how difficult it may be to watch.

In order to change the conversation around mental health and to destigmatise, we need to start somewhere and it could be by starting to have open and honest conversations even if it’s amongst friends. Most importantly, seek professional help and counselling.

The season finale of #ZMAmooye was on Wednesday 12 May on #ZambeziMagic #DStv CH 162.