Combatting the Digital Mental Health Crisis
On 7th March 2026, Ghana Internet Safety Foundation (GISF) hosted a powerful workshop at Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, equipping
peer counselors to tackle rising cybertrauma among students.
The gathering arrived at a critical moment: the WHO estimates
that 1 in 7 adolescents globally experiences a mental health
disorder, and emerging research increasingly links this burden
to digital harm from cyberbullying and sextortion to AI
mediated manipulation and compulsive online behavior.
The workshop opened with grounding remarks from
Christabell Jnr Sekyere, who framed the day’s urgency
around a sobering reality, today’s university students are among
the most digitally exposed, yet among the least equipped to
recognize or name what they are experiencing.
A distinguished panel of speakers brought both clinical depth
and field experience to the conversation. Dr. Samuel Tinagyei,
Prof. Tim McGuinness from (SCARS Institute™ – Society of
Citizens Against Relationship Scams™ Inc. – Nonprofit),
Detective Bright Peter Kwaku Boateng, Dr. Gabriel Ofori
Appiah – DTh,MTh,DDiv and Gloria Gyamfua addressed the
neurological and psychological dimensions of digital mental
health distress.
This structured panel discussion placed peer counselors at the
center, inviting them to surface the real-world cybertrauma
presentations they encounter from students re-experiencing
digital abuse through intrusive memories, to those exhibiting
online disinhibition syndrome, where the anonymity of screens
strips normal social boundaries and escalates harmful behavior.
The KPC Drama Team brought the data to life, staging a skit
that dramatized how a single damaging online incident a post,
an image, a thread can spiral into lasting reputational harm and psychological injury. This skit served as a visceral reminder
that digital footprints are permanent, while the trauma they generate is real.
The workshop closed with reflections on digital citizenship,trauma-informed peer support, and the collective architecture of a safer campus ecosystem. The message was unambiguous:
cybertrauma is not a personal failing it is a public health issue,and its prevention requires shared institutional responsibility.
Attendees left knowing how to recognize crisis signals in a
peer’s digital behavior, how to respond without re-traumatizing,and when to escalate to professional mental health support.
Swipe through to see highlights from the workshop moments of learning, collaboration, and engagement.Let’s keep the conversation going: what steps is your campus
taking to promote a safer digital environment?
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