In response to a series of passion crimes, filicides, and suicides linked to breakups, Dr. Pascal Owona Otu, an expert in risk behavior prevention, is raising the alarm about the state of mental health in Cameroon. He emphasizes that mental health is not limited to the absence of psychiatric disorders but encompasses a state of well-being that enables individuals to manage stress and contribute to community life, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition.
Dr. Owona Otu contextualizes these tragedies by considering social, economic, and cultural determinants. Factors such as income, employment, education level, housing quality, support networks, access to care, and traumatic experiences influence an individual's ability to cope with difficulties. He cautions against oversimplifying these events by reducing them to infidelity or the "perversity" of a partner.
He insists that behind every violent act, there is often an accumulation of vulnerabilities: emotional instability, affective dependence, social isolation, economic insecurity, or traumatic history. In a society marked by youth unemployment, social pressure, and the omnipresence of social networks, romantic relationships can become places of excessive projection and emotional dependency, thus weakening psychological balance.
The expert calls for a preventive approach focused on strengthening social policies, creating decent jobs, improving living conditions, and investing heavily in emotional education for young people. Facilitating access to mental health services and combating the associated stigma is crucial. Dr. Owona Otu emphasizes the collective responsibility of families, religious communities, associations, the media, and public authorities in building strong support networks and promoting a culture of dialogue.
Beyond isolated incidents, this analysis highlights the need for a societal debate on our relationship with love, failure, success, and psychological support. Protecting mental health is a collective emergency, and initiatives are being taken to improve the situation, including the National Mental Health Program established in 2016. However, Cameroon faces major challenges such as limited access to psychological care services, insufficient awareness, and persistent stigma.
