I am pained as well as angry at how little or no awareness is done to educate the world that suicide isn’t the best option out of Depression.
Randomly surfing the SM for an important information and I came across Bbc Igtv clip on suicide among Kenyan men with horrific images.
Suicide has been on the increase in the country for the wrongest reasons cutting across health relating issues to Abuse to poverty.
In their words, HIV is one health issue big enough to cause suicide. In as much as I might agree that HIV is a health big issue but committing suicide isn’t the solution.
There are instances of people who have the said disease that are alive taking their appropriate medication. HIV can be managed and one can still live a long life with proper management of the disease.
For the third time in a week, there was suicide incidence recorded and for that particular media coverage, the young man committed suicide because he found out he was HIV positive amongst other reasons.
His friend admitted to the fact that the young man had tried severally to commit suicide till that successful one and beside being positive, he was an alcoholic and as well depressed.
And I am asking what kind of friends do people keep? Not being judgemental though, but if your friends aren’t lifting you then change your circle.
He had tried severally to commit suicide and no one could draw attention of proper authorities? You couldn’t talk sense outta him? No one could reason with him?
Such a pain to think that he had a son and it was the son who alerted the family that he was hanging himself after having seen him through the window.
A little son!!!
What could the life of the kid be as he grows up?
The PTSD!!!
It’s okay to be low atimes in life, it’s okay to be sick, it’s okay to be broke but it’s not okay to remain in such way forever. Come out of it and if you can, change your Circle of friends .
In victim cousin’s words ” he believed his life has come to an end” for one he had no job hence no way to educate his son, second his wife had left him, third his health status hence the drinking leading to depression and suicide.
Well, who said everyone must have white collar jobs. What about turning his hobby into a business and educating his son from the profit? And if his wife left him, eeh what about living for himself- selflove to prove that she made a wrong decision leaving him. What about being his own reason to be alive?
Chief of the county believes that his county is among the marginalized In Kenya and didn’t fail to chirp in his fear that poverty could be the reason behind high suicide rate.
In a bid to search for answer He called for village meeting to find out why and as well discuss the reason behind this menace.
During the meeting, a couple of men spoke their mind and blamed the increase in suicide rate on
- Marriage: One spoke on how the women are part of the stress and should as well be addressed. To buttress his point, he claimed his wife is a dictator, she’s aggressive and doesn’t listen to him.
Oh wow! Didn’t you know that your wife was a dictator when you duo were singing the love song? Not like I am supporting being a dictator nor the woman. Marriage isn’t a union to be rushed into, requires knowing yourselves to an extent.
He went further to ask if the children from union wasn’t a collective effort of him and his wife, so why should the responsibility of providing for the family be just for the man alone? I couldn’t love the county chiefs reply any less. He asked them, the last time any of them said “I love you” to their wives or admitted to being wrong and apologising. There were bouts of laughter with them admitting that men are too hardcore for that . We are quick to blame another person, our significant other or friends without reprimanding ourselves or partaking in the blame cruise. Saying these words I believe goes a long way in relationships or friendship.
- Poverty and Pride
- Debt and depression
While still filming,there was a report that another suicide incidence had taken place some kilometres away. Another mans life gone.
Just like the other, his family equally knew he was depressed. When asked why he wasn’t taken to the hospital, the victim’s brother answered that he has seen many people who are depressed but they don’t look sick. To them being depressed means someone has reached their limit.
Mmmh didn’t know depressed people have to look critically sick before they are taken to hospital. Depression is another level of sickness and should be taken seriously.
Another tragedy averted
While they were still mourning their loss, the son who saw the father hanging himself, tried committing suicide using rat poison. In his suicide note he wrote “it’s better to die than to suffer” for him there was equally nothing to live for since he goes to school for his parents and now his dad was no more. Thank goodness he was found before he harmed himself.
He wanted to end it all without thinking of the pain it would cause his family. If only people think of these pains they cause their family and those left behind, the suicide rate will be less.
He admitted that his fathers depression started when his business failed, he watched him daily struggle with depression.
Hey Buddy, Businesses fail daily but can be revived with lots of work and determination… not everything meets the public eyes especially from business people.
He went further to say that to commit suicide is ending one’s suffer but reality check, it doesn’t rather it sends the pains to others and I couldn’t agree any less. It doesn’t really end one’s suffering, it just increases others suffering for everyone out there has a cross and it would be unfair adding yours to another’s.
Suicide is definitely not the answer neither is making alcohol a companion the best option.
There are stories of people who thrived and came out of poverty likewise people living with health conditions that are worse.
There’s definitely a way out of it, requires patience and determination plus selflove toppings.
Hang in there and we will all be alright.
Talk to someone today and listen to someone today!
We all can help curb suicide.
Kindly share the post and help save someone out there…
Ecc 9:4 paraphrased says “There’s always hope as long as there’s life”.
So stay hopeful!!
Peace!!
We really don’t think much about depression in this country or how serious it could get. Sometimes even the family, though they try their best do not really know how to handle it.
I remember when I was discharged after my accident, the doctors just warned my family to make sure I don’t fall. Then told me with my crutches one leg and two good hands I’m good.
The after was worse than the before. The only thing that kept me going was what would become of my family if I took the easy way out.
I wish and hope the pretence that mental health is nothing would cease.
It will cease someday but not today or tomorrow. Nevertheless taking the easy way out isn’t really an easy way out in actual sense of it and I am happy you didn’t for I wouldn’t have known a beautiful soul like you.
Keep living, you are strong and someday with more awareness on depression as mental health issue, the pretense will cease.
Much love❤❤
Thank you for this post.
We have never taken mental health seriously in this country and it’s come to bite us. We simply do not understand what depression is. And just like any other illness, there’s only so much friends and family can do for someone in that situation. In the end they need specialist care but where can you find one? Talking to a depressed person can be tricky cos if you say the wrong thing you worsen it, just like giving the wrong medication in a physical ailment. When people who are considering suicide talk to us we always make the mistake of only weighing their situation by our own standards. Depression is not just about the situation the person is in. It’s how bad it’s eating them up; how much they’re feeling it. Pain threshold differs. Someone can take a HIV result with a bold face but another will be devastated. So it’s not just about the tragedy but how bad it makes the individual feel. A lot of us already have background damaged minds and personalities and in such cases the most trivial of tragedies can trigger the depression. These are things experts understand even better than I do and we desperately need more of them, the psychiatrists and psychologists. And we also need to treat depression as more than talking-to-anybody issue and treat it like a sickness. Get them expert help.
Thank you dear for your input, cool points made.
I remember discussing with a friend some time ago and Depression to him isn’t a disease neither does it affect Africans. I just smiled because like you said mental health has never been taken seriously and to most people being healthy is confined to absence of headache and “other known diseases/sicknesses”.
Depression requires expert help truly!