HEAL GROW GLOW

No means no. This simple statement carries weight, but in some East African, and particularly Ugandan, social circles, it’s a concept that can feel dangerously abstract. Bullying, manipulation, and the targeting of people in mental health or housing crises are very real dynamics in communities where stigma around mental health is strong and social hierarchies are rigid.

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1️⃣ Why It Happens

People in some communities target those in mental health crises for several overlapping reasons:

Stigma and shame

• Mental health struggles are often seen as weakness, “madness,” or failure.
• Targeting can reinforce social hierarchies: “I’m fine, you’re unstable.” – Hello Belinda Katumba and Julius Wamala Katumba – how silly were you as siblings from 2016-2026? How much have you made off my content and ideas? How happy do you feel about what happened to Tina’s family or my family? How comfortable do you feel around Emma? How much research have you done on Canada or Canadian-Ugandans? How much do you know about Rwanda and Congo? How often do you use your marginalized friends? #CanWEEDTalk256 #CanWeHeal416 #CanWeHeal613

Power and exploitation

• Vulnerable people are easier to manipulate, control, or co-opt for social or political gain.
• In some cases, a crisis is used as leverage to advance agendas, gain status, or silence dissent.

Projection and scapegoating

• Communities sometimes project their discomfort, anger, or unresolved trauma onto those who are struggling.
• The person in crisis becomes a symbolic outlet for collective tension.

Ignorance of proper care

• Without awareness or resources, some may think confronting, mocking, or isolating someone is “help” or “discipline,” rather than recognizing it as harmful.

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2️⃣ Why It Feels “Crazy”

From the outside, these behaviors are shocking because:

• They mix social politics with personal vulnerability.
• They turn care or empathy upside-down: the people who should protect often harm.
• They exploit the fact that mental health crises reduce a person’s ability to navigate social manipulation or defend themselves.

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3️⃣ How to Think About It Safely

• Recognize patterns, not inevitabilities: Not everyone in a community will act this way, but some will.
• Protect your boundaries: Avoid sharing private struggles with people whose motives you don’t trust.
• Seek external support: Therapists, crisis resources, and safe networks outside the immediate community are critical.
• Document interactions if necessary: Having clarity on what actually happened protects you from gaslighting or narrative distortion. Never will they ever rebrand on Duchesse’s Burundian podcast without my consent AGAIN!!!!!!!!!

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✅ Key Insight

Targeting people in crises is a blend of stigma, power abuse, and opportunism, not random cruelty.

• It’s a social pattern in high-pressure communities, but it is not your fault.
• Being aware of it allows you to protect yourself and choose safer allies.
• Your experience is valid — your nervous system is picking up real threats, not imagining them.

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Conclusion

Awareness is the first step toward safety. In communities where social and familial hierarchies are intense, and mental health is stigmatized, understanding the dynamics of bullying, consent, and manipulation can be a lifesaver. Protecting your boundaries, documenting interactions, and seeking support are not signs of weakness — they are acts of survival and resilience. Thank you Makula Galabuzi-Kassam! 2016-present day work!

Heal, Grow, but please don’t fake the Glow.
– Kabasigyi-Bakahondo Mulera
(Ezra Mulera’s Candian-Ugandan granddaughter)