Mental Health is a critical aspect of well being. It is a state in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productivity and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.Â
But due to high stress levels in life, this blissful status is often hard to attain for some people, resulting in different mental illnesses depending on the cause and individual resilience. In a world where solutions to various personal problems are hard to come by, the most common type of mental disorder is d********n.
D********n can be ignited by many issues including failed relationship, loss of a job or loved one, oppression and rejection, among others. It is, in fact, one of the leading causes of s*****e worldwide. About 264 million people are affected by d********n, most of them being women and the youth.
D********n is characterized by loss of interest or pleasure, pulling away from people, guilt feelings, low self- worth, insomnia (which is difficulty in getting some sleep) and lack of appetite. It can be long lasting or recurrent depending on what causes it. Some of the people affected by d********n think of self-harm while others even go to the extent of committing s*****e.
Young people are more affected by d********n. Today’s youth are in a rush to be successful in life but with the high rate of unemployment achieving the success becomes elusive. This leads frustration which in turn can develop into d********n.
Other reasons that lead to d********n among the youth include relationship break-ups, life stresses and illness. Recently, we have seen young people in Kenya being involved in v*****t activities, thus sparking the conversation of the mental wellbeing of the youth after a long break from school due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
See Also >> Story of the Lady Who Beat D********n and Self-Harm
A number of students have been reported f******g and, in some cases, k*****g teachers and staff members. Most shocking was the i******t of a 22-year-old by the name Warunge who confessed to the k*****g of his parents, two siblings and a farmhand.
Nearly 800,000 people commit s*****e every year, according to the World Health Organisation in a 2019 report. And for every s*****e there are many more people who attempt s*****e every year.
S*****e is a serious public health problem. However, s******s are preventable with timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions, including the use of social therapy as shown by BetterHelp.
Impulsive s******s
The ultimate goal of social therapy is to aid patients in successfully functioning in everyday life at, say, the workplace, social settings and interpersonal relationships, among others. In developing countries like Kenya, finding the right therapists is about as hard as finding good hospitals.
While the link between s*****e and mental disorders (in particular, d********n and alcohol use disorders) is well established in high-income countries, many s******s happen impulsively in moments of c****s with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship break-up or chronic pain and illness.
Stigmatization discourages affected people from seeking help
Health systems have not adequately responded to the burden of mental disorders and as a consequence, the gap between the need for treatment and its provision is wide. In low- and middle-income countries, between 76% and 85% of people with mental disorders receive no treatment, lack understanding by family, co-workers and friends.
Worse still, those who do receive treatment get poor quality care. Stigmatization discourages affected people from seeking help or treatment. In addition to support from healthcare services, people with mental illness require social support and care. They often need help in finding employment and housing which could enable them to live and be active in their local communities.
