Jackie Chandiru only mirrors our society with Drugs, Addictions and Mental Health

ADDICTIONS

The Daily Monitor editorial of March 12, 2019 was such a masterpiece in highlighting the role of singer, Ms. Jackie Chandiru in the fight against drug use among the young, famed and glamorous Ugandans where nearly 70% of school kids acknowledge use of drugs and alcohol.

The plight of Jackie Chandiru is a regrettable one, but a realistic mirror of our broken society. Uganda as a whole is on some sort of drugs fueled and reproduced internally and externally. The nation is prone to intoxicating alien lifestyles and cultures driven by commodification of every aspect of social life. 

Often, we see emergence of strange social and behavioral mannerisms mostly contrived from the maladies of capitalist Western societies. We make little efforts at attempting to examine the roots of these behaviors as long as money is appended to them. Take for instance mysogynism, naked dressing, explicative language, seductive dance moves, massive drug-use and alcohol consumption display in music videos and Hollywood movies to symbolize accomplishments.

 Jackie, however, brings to the fore, an experience of near tragedy. Her situation is something that society may dismiss, forgetting that she did not bring this onto herself, but rather was seduced into the so-called accomplishment culture of the west. While covering Jackie’s experience, non-traditional (Facebook, and Twitter) and traditional (newspapers, radio and television) media outlets have exposed society’s ignorance on distinction and inextricable link between "drug-abuse", "drug-addiction" and mental illness.

 The Daily Monitor editorial was quite modest in its extent by not critiquing the language used in reference to Jackie's experience as "drug abuse".

 This loaded language - "drug abuse" - negates the fact that Jackie's initial intention was not to use the drug recklessly, say for recreation. Rather, in line with her explanation, (which I want to believe), is that Jackie was on a prescription medication for a persistent back pain. This accurate narration helps in formulating policy on dispensing such medications to avert an Opioid crisis as we see on the streets and back alleys of Norther American cities. 

 Performers endure a lot of pressure to appear as perfect or "normal" as one can be in public. Unfortunately, for all their public undertakings, fans do not appreciate that artists break physically and emotionally. The industry sets up one for failure. The agents do not want to hear that the pressure of stardom can wear a performer down emotionally and physically. When you throw in the afflictions of the heart, then whatever begun as a physical pain quickly escalates into a general morbidity. Pain is contagious and is subjectively experiential that an outsider cannot not appreciate.

 Jackie Chandiru was born a star to bounce back boldly this way.

 Behavior change interventions generally encompasses a multitude of theoretical considerations for it to be sustainable. There is total merit in the DM editorial that role modeling from a person with vicarious experience can influence behavior change. However, role modeling alone cannot significantly drive a sustainable behavior change. As a society, we need to take the issue of drug - use; prescriptions of narcotics and anti-biotics very seriously to avert addiction and resistance. Without supportive social and physical environments, we set up our young people to fail. This society has a subculture that is proliferated with, and prone to drug abuse. Social persuasion should result in policy and concrete actions.

Young people looking at the person transitioning through an experience as real and helps them to develop imagery of self-destruction reality unto themselves. Images and testimonies are powerful tools for people who adored Jackie before her predicaments and can see how frail she is right now.  

Majority of young Ugandans missed the captivating public appeal by Philly Bongoley Lutaaya in the 1980s against HIV/AIDS when little was known or talked about the disease or its victims. Lutaaya returned from Sweden to show Ugandans what HIV/AIDS could do to a person at a time when contracting this disease meant a death sentence. Yet, talking about it was very stigmatizing.

 Jackie's resurgence and debut at MUBS rekindles the memory of Mr. Philly Bongoley Lutaaya and must be celebrated.

 I could never get enough of Jackie Chandiru; whether on stage singing and dancing or as an advocate. One hopes that Parliament will pick up this cue to develop protective laws against prescription of painkillers and abuse of antibacterial drugs in Uganda.

End.