KINGSTON - Armed with nothing more than determination and a phone, Nowell Lewin Jr is building a movement to break Jamaica’s silence on mental health challenges and suicide.
The 23-year-old law student and farmer is the founder and executive director of the Global Integration Society, a youth-led mental health advocacy group that is working to break the stigma surrounding mental illness in Jamaica. “People are more comfortable talking to somebody their own age,” said Lewin. “When young people go to parents or older relatives, they’re often told, ‘you don’t have stress, you’re not paying bills.’ That’s why they come to us.”
The non-profit organisation, though still small, runs campaigns primarily on social media. During September’s Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, the group launched an online initiative sharing tips and advice. The response has been overwhelming, Wayne said, with young Jamaicans privately messaging to share their struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts. While the group does not yet provide professional counselling, it connects people with resources such as the national suicide prevention hotline and other mental health organisations to get the necessary help. Plans are underway to expand services, recruit trained counsellors, and eventually open a physical location.
But stigma, Wayne argues, remains the single biggest barrier. “Bellevue Hospital is seen as a place for ‘mad people,’” he said. “Even though they’ve done good work to change that image, people are still hesitant. We need to rebrand mental health care in Jamaica so people know it’s also for stress, exhaustion, and early signs of depression.” He also sees gaps in the education system, where overburdened counsellors are unable to meet the demand.
Lewin believes peer counsellors could be better trained to spot warning signs and support classmates. He is also calling for teachers and parents to be sensitised to mental health issues. “A lot of parents in Jamaica because of our culture some of them don’t recognise that mental health issues should be prioritised because they have the mindset that because the child is not paying any bills and they’re providing all th resources they need for school or the clothes that they wear, they tend to turn a blind eye,” he argued. (Jamaica Observer)
