By Nova Play Team
Stecia Mayanja bravely shares a deeply personal journey, revealing her experience with mental health challenges that led to her admission into a psychiatric facility. This candid revelation sheds light on the struggles she faced during a tumultuous period in her life.
In a heartfelt conversation, Stecia reflected on the challenging times that began when her daughter faced a serious illness that persisted for almost two months.
After numerous visits to various hospitals, including Mengo and Mulago, hope began to flicker when they finally found relief at Nakasero Hospital, where her daughter began to heal.
“She was coughing so violently; I feared for her life,” Stecia recounted with palpable emotion. “Our stay at Nakasero felt endless, and just when we thought we were on the mend, things took a turn for the worse upon returning home.”
The weight of the situation soon became too much for Stecia. Overwhelmed and exhausted from caring for her ailing child, she began to experience severe mental challenges, including harrowing hallucinations.
“I began seeing things that weren’t there, speaking to these imagined figures,” she revealed, a hint of disbelief in her voice. “I can still remember the sensation of talking to ‘angels’ and ‘white people’ who seemed to come for me.”
As her family grew alarmed, they made the tough decision to take her to Butabika Hospital, Uganda’s leading facility for mental health, due to the rapid decline in her condition.
“In my darkest moments, I would hit my head against the walls,” Stecia shared, her vulnerability apparent. “Doctors carried out MRIs, but no one could understand what was happening. With a ten-year Canadian visa in hand, I thought traveling there might offer the solution I desperately sought.”