“The USSD tool allowed me to do a quick self-assessment from my phone privately. It was the eye-opener I desperately needed.”
— Anonymous Young Person, Gaborone
I would not have walked into an office to ask about this. I was not even sure I had a problem — I just had a feeling that something had shifted and I did not want to say it to anyone I knew.
A friend mentioned you could do a self-check by dialling a short code on any phone, without internet and without an account. I did it sitting on my own one evening. It took a few minutes and nobody saw.
Seeing my own answers laid out was the eye-opener. Nothing about it was frightening or preachy. It simply reflected back what I had already been telling myself and suggested what I could do next.
I followed the link to talk to someone, and I am glad I did it early rather than waiting until things got worse. If you are curious but not ready to talk to anybody yet, start with the self-check. It asks nothing of you.
Shared with permission. Names and identifying details are changed or withheld to protect privacy.