Mailiana
Mailiana
Let the people you love know that they are not alone
Mailiana is a caregiver and has been since she was a child. She remembers sitting with her mother during a doctor’s visit where her mother learned she had schizophrenia.
Mailiana was just 8 years old, but she remembers the day vividly. It was the day she became her mother’s “rock.”
By 16, Mailiana was a pillar of strength for her mother, the person she looked toward in moments of crisis. And now, as an adult, she continues to help her mother manage the symptoms she experiences.
When my mother is struggling, it is part of my role to lift her up.
I remind her to imagine a fuller version of herself. One that feels better—one that isn’t held back from asking for help by fear of stigma.
Being her mother’s first-born, Mailiana is an advocate in her community, for her mother, and for herself. Mailiana has seen how stigma toward mental health has influenced the lives of her family members.
“Take your time. Share with the people you love. Help them understand that you are also going through their journey alongside them, that they are not alone.”
She has grappled with the feeling that nobody understands, and that they may not even try to.
Here in Africa, most people don’t talk about mental health. With limited conversations on these topics, it has been challenging to find people who understand.
Being a caregiver provides wonderful opportunities to learn, grow, and care for those you love, but it can also be challenging, and exhausting. Mailiana hopes others will learn from her example.
While she thrives as her mother’s caregiver, she also recognizes that doing things for herself is important to her own well-being. Mailiana has gone to college—earning a bachelor’s and a master’s degree—and actively pursues her passion for entrepreneurship.
Growing up with a mother with mental health struggles has given Mailiana a compassionate and empathetic viewpoint—something she speaks about often.
She urges people to be open-minded, to acknowledge that you never know someone’s whole story. She encourages them to keep pushing to learn more.
Take your time. Share with the people you love.
Help them understand that you are also going through their journey alongside them, that they are not alone.
