County Government of Laikipia

The Kenya Police recently released a shocking report that close to 500 people have taken their own lives in three months to June 2021. This is more than the cases recorded in the whole of 2020.

The sad state of affairs is being felt in our communities, with the rise of cases of attempted suicide being recorded in local health facilities, with the most recent one being a young teen mother who had tried to end her life by taking poison. Fortunately, she was attended to and discharged at LHS Nanyuki.

LHS Psychologist Agnes Wanjiku says the development is no surprise, given the massive loss of livelihoods since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The current social-economic turmoil in the wake of the pandemic is to blame for the recent spike in cases of people committing suicide in the country. The psychologist observes.

The unfortunate thing is that nobody prepared the public on what a pandemic of this scale means beyond the health risk. Job losses have taken a toll on families, as the breadwinners can no longer meet their financial obligations. As a result, people are opting to commit suicide to escape the harsh realities around them. Wanjiku says.

We are seeing the effects of neglect of mental health, and the stigma due to lack of awareness is fueling the crisis to alarming levels.

Due to lack of awareness on mental health, the notion that suicide is an escape from life's difficulties is rife in society. Social media influence is making a bad situation worse, as young people get unlimited access to toxic information, including suicide as an avenue to end the stresses in life.

The concern is also mounting on young people having suicidal tendencies. For instance, among the 483 suicide deaths, was a nine-year-old minor.

The environment plays a great role in shaping one's behaviour. You have more children being exposed to toxic settings of alcoholism and quarrels between parents back home. Wanjiku explains, adding that over time, such a child becomes depressed and before long, becomes suicidal at the breaking point.

Societies' negative perception towards mental health is driving more people into depression. The psychologist explains that it is perceived as a weakness to seek counselling to address problems, and anyone coming out to seek such support is labelled as weak. This is especially rife in men, as they think it is masculine to keep all their issues to themselves and solve them alone.

Mental Health

Society should develop a trend of seeking mental health support, as it goes a long way in building one's overall good health.

Professional psychologist support is invaluable, especially for couples that might be having issues in their marriage. People should understand that it is okay to open up. the psychologist explains, adding that psychologists should be part of every person's life to address the effects of unpredictable negative events.

One is advised to talk to someone they can trust, such as a friend or loved one, a healthcare professional or even a faith leader.

However, Wanjiku has a word of caution when it comes to opening up. The mental health practitioner explains that as much as letting your heart out is a big step in addressing depression, opening up to just anyone can be equally devastating.

There is no contractual agreement between you and a non-professional. What they do with the information they share can be damaging, so it is important to go the professional way in seeking psychological support. the counsellor explains.

It is advisable to seek early interventions when one experiences the trigger signs in themselves or someone close to them. Some of the symptoms of depressions include feelings of sadness or hopelessness, bouts of anger and irritability over small matters, loss of interest in normal activities and sleep disturbances. Other signs for early warning of depression that may lead to suicide include anxiety, frequent recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts among others.

For people with depression, the effects are fairly noticeable in the sense that it affects day-to-day activity at work, school or relationships with others.

It is a development that Wanjiku calls for a total mind shift in public's perception of mental health. Mental health awareness as a whole os paramount in eradicating stigma.

Frequent self-auditing is helpful in detecting early signs of depression. For many people, it is possible to notice when something is no longer the same.

LHS Nanyuki offers psychology and counselling support for those in need, and are covered by NHIF.

The success of interventions for depression is dependent on the person's attitude, as acceptance of one's situation plays a significant role in the recovery process.

If you want to quit alcoholism, you must first convince me that you have dropped your circle of drinking friends. Wanjiku says.