Surviving Mental Illness and Finding Me

On October 31, GZK/UGCS hosted an interesting literature event. The author Brain Azemchap was joining us with a reading from his book Surviving Mental Illness and Finding me. The evening was moderated by Andrea Cassatella, who is a Senior Research Fellow at the Makerere Institute of Social Research, Makerere University

Brain Azemchap is a Cameroonian national with extensive business management experience. He’s lived and worked in five African countries for some major multinationals. In each of those countries he was treated by psychiatrists and at times psychologists. He says psychiatric disorders have been a constant in his life. Unfortunately, they were undiagnosed and misdiagnosed for more than four decades. He’s captured his lived experience in a recently published book: Surviving Mental Illness and Finding Me. His hope is that sharing his journey will encourage more afflicted people and their families speak out and seek professional help.

From left to right: Brain Azemchap and Andrea Cassatella

The moderator, Andrea Cassatella, guided the audience through the evening with his engaging questions, providing valuable insights into Brain’s struggle with mental health and his journey towards a diagnosis. The conversation between Azemchap and Cassatella covered a range of topics. Cassatella asked about Brain’s path to diagnosis and how his family had perceived it. They discussed Brain’s symptoms and his daily life with the illness. The audience was also encouraged to ask questions or share their thoughts. This led to an interactive conversation, with people inquiring about the best ways to support someone with a mental illness or asking about specific symptoms. Many in the audience could relate to Brain’s story and felt comfortable sharing their own experiences. The evening concluded with ongoing conversations between Brain and some audience members. Brain’s story left a profound impact on most of the attendees.

From left to right: Brain Azemchap and Andrea Cassatella in conversation