Is Metal Health a real thing?

Listeeeeen! 

If you asked me this question months ago, I would have told you that Mental Health and Mental Disorders are a non-existent thing, or they are just made up or it's just out of pretense by people who are battling the conditions.  But let me tell you, Maina...

I was lucky enough to do my industrial attachment in a local community hospital here in Nairobi. If you are new here, I am a counseling psychology student waiting to graduate in July. I am good with mental health counseling, Loss and grief counseling, counseling for teens, and anything to do with emotional support.

So, doing my attachment there really helped me understand what mental health really is and what an illness looks like. First of all, sending love to everyone who is battling any mental illness. I might not know the struggle, but I understand what and how it feels. 

Mental health as defined by World Health Organization refers to how we feel, think, and how we behave. When our mental health is good, we are able to relate well with others, make good choices and we are able to handle hard and tough situations well. Mental illnesses always crips in when our thinking, feeling, and behavior are affected leading to making poor decisions, having unhealthy ways of handling stress, and not relating well with others.

I have seen patients with an altered state of mind, especially as a result of drug and alcohol use. I have had patients with extreme emotions(mania) and patients with low moods (depression). Both levels are never easy to handle. The worst part is, there are some mental illnesses like Bipolar that do not have a one-time cure. So you can imagine being on mood stabilizers for a lifetime because your mood needs to be controlled from time to time. Again, I am sending love to anyone battling this particular illness.

I have seen patients with more than one mental illness, which can be a mix of depression, post-traumatic disorders, anxiety, or an eating disorder. All these things exist, and I can only imagine walking into those level iv hospitals or Mathare Hospital where they specialize in these illnesses.

From my point of view, it's time we take mental health seriously. I believe we are capable of preventing 99.9% of these illnesses. The remaining percentage are the ones that can be inherited from family and the ones that happen because of some tough life experiences like trauma.

Always talk to someone when you feel overwhelmed. Go to your local hospital for your mental health-related issues, if they do not have a doctor yet, then let them refer you to a hospital that has a counselor or a psychiatrist. Handling mental illness is cheaper and easier in the beginning but the more it progresses, the more you will need maybe hospitalization or medications which are still hard to find or expensive in Kenya.

Lastly, sometimes (or maybe all the time) all someone who is battling a mental illness needs is support from family and friends. Support can be in the form of being there for them and not being judgmental. Maybe all that family member who has a drug use disorder needs is for you to show them love, for you to show them that no matter what, they will still remain family. Bringing them closer and making them feel loved and wanted can help. Support Support Support! 

Love and hugs to anyone struggling. Seek help!