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From Stigma to Advocacy: Kenya’s Mental Health Discourse
  • June 3, 2024
  • Comments: 4912
  • Posted by: cbtkeadmin

By Lambert Oigara, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Mental Health and well-being programs are scarce and inaccessible to many, especially in rural areas. Despite the continued efforts by the community to promote and practice physical health and well-being, the country’s mental wellness is greatly impacted by the government’s negligible budgetary allocation.

Over the past decade, drastic changes in beliefs and attitudes have been witnessed as a result of the numerous educational, preventive, and advocacy conversations regarding mental health, acknowledging the urgency it requires. Younger generations, like Generation Z, have advocated for this social change in attitudes towards mental health and mental health-seeking behavior.

Firstly, through the internet, the lot has been rallying the larger community to take bold steps towards having candid conversations, asking hard questions, seek help early in a bid to contain and prevent the reoccurrence of mental illnesses. Secondly, a big contribution to their seemingly positive outlook towards mental health is that they experienced professional guidance and counselling programs in schools more in a timely manner than in preceding generations.

Thirdly, they have literally been recipients of millennial technologies, especially through social media and a digital lifestyle. These pragmatic values are gradually but surely appealing to the older generation, who have for many years considered mental health conversations taboo and, if spoken about, in hushed tones.

In my experience as a therapist, I have seen the reluctance in people to publicly speak about mental health issues- seemingly, in a way to suggest it is a topic they are embarrassed by. It is imperative to note that avoiding these conversations may worsen the situation and only perpetuate the stigma most families and communities have.

By denying, rationalizing and ignoring the existence of a mental health problem, families interfere with and delay the necessary steps required to seek professional assistance. Following in the footsteps of the younger generations- Gen Z and Millennial- who are without the fear of stigma, employers, learning and religious institutions are joining the mental health conversations and are going the extra mile to implement self-care and well-being programs.

In recent days, discoveries and advancements in psychology that show the link between physical and mental health have been made, indicating that the mental security of future generations relies on the collective efforts of the community toward mental well-being.

Author: cbtkeadmin

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