Dr. Miria Matembe has urged young Ugandans not to let themselves be consumed by the pressure that they must excel immediately at everything they do.
Dr. Matembe called this "recent phenomenon" a disease of "self significance" which is leading many youth in Uganda to battle with depression.
The former minister of Ethics and Integrity Dr. Matembe made the remarks at the official launch of Faith Agumya's book titled "To Live Or Not To Live."
The book was launched on Thursday at Fairway Hotel, Kampala.
The book talks about Agumya's struggles with suicidal thoughts despite having been raised in a well-off family, and how she overcame the challenge to thrive.
Agumya narrates that in her pursuit to become the best in everything she did, her self esteem suffered, causing her to feel isolated and triggering suicidal thoughts.
Deriving from Agumya's story, Matembe said that some Ugandans are occupied with self significance, thinking they can achieve whatever they want.
She warned that this is dangerous as it could lead them into suicidal thoughts especially in the aftermath of failure to achieve their ambitions.
"Having a fixed mind; thinking you're in control of your life, and that therefore you can achieve what you want, is one of the challenges that I have seen on people who become suicidal. Me, I don't believe they are created suicidal. They have a mind of wanting to achieve or what we call self significance," she said.
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Matembe advised Ugandans to always put God first before their dreams, and trust that he has good plans for them.
"Everyone is created to excel and be significant. This self significance can drive people to craziness and if you're driving self significance not within God's principles, then you are bound to go astray. In the first place you need to know who you're to God," the former minister said.
Matembe hailed Agumya for using her experience to tell a story that she believes will help those going through mental challenges and suicidal thoughts.
"I want to believe now that the other spirit in her is gone. To me, the most important thing is to know who you're to God, to know that you were created. You might have land or whatever but you must follow the word of God. God has plans, and plans to harm you." Matembe said.
According to Agumya, the book features different characters, facts from clinical psychologists and world mental health organisations.
Speaking to the Nile Post, Agumya, said she wrote the book to inspire and save all those going through mental challenges, in particular suicidal thoughts.
"What inspired is me realising I could have died and missed out on the good things I have done. Not seeing me live to my full potential. That's what set me to write this book because there are so many people we can lose who are able to be future leaders, people who could be able to bring change in our country. So, I decided to write the book to save someone's life," Agumya said.
The book goes for Shs30,000 for now as an offer for July. Starting August, it will be going for Shs50,000.
