I would not want any artiste to suffer the way I did - Jackie Chandiru

Former member of girl group Blu 3 Jackie Chandiru has revealed that social media exarcebated her mental health challenges.

"I suffered a lot with the problem of mental illness. I am a victim. It was because of social media negativity. I would not want any of my fellow musicians to pass through what I passed through because it takes time to heal," Chandiru said . 

She made the revelation on May 14, 2024 as she was giving a speech on mental health at A'lure Hotel & Residences in Mutundwe, Kampala.

The singer had struggled with addiction to pethidine, a drug initially used to alleviate back pain resulting from an accident. She shared that the synthetic opioid induced excessive sleep and euphoria, leading to a downward spiral in her health.

Dr Edward Ssempiira from Life Back Foundation - a mental health non-government organisation in Sseguku on Entebbe Road - noted that Chandiru is still in recovery.

"Encouraging others and telling her story is part of treatment," he said.

Dr Daniel Drileba Dratibi, who wrote a book on how to thrive amidst mental health challenges, advised artistes to see therapists.

"Most artistes are suffering from mental health challenges, and social media has caused a lot of problems. When they post something and then read negative comments, they become depressed. That’s why most times we advise celebrities not to read their comments," he said.