On October 10, the entire world will commemorate World Mental Health DayTh every year with an objective to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.
According to the World Health Organization, the day offers an opportunity for all parties involved in mental health issues to share their work and discuss what more can be done to make mental care a reality for all.
This year’s theme is, ‘Make Mental Health and well-being for all a global priority’.
Kenya News Agency was able to meet a couple who suffer from mental illness at Nairegie Enkare in Narok East Sub County.
Beatrice Gakeri married Njenga Penmba, a woman with a mental illness. They were married in May in a colourful church ceremony attended by hundreds.
Njenga’s father Francis Pemba said his son was born mump, but can understand instructions from close relatives and friends.
The father explained that his son became uncontrollable at the age of 30. He had a strong desire for marriage and pushed his family to find him a wife.
His father admitted that he tried to approach young girls to marry his son but was turned down by them because his son was not mentally stable.
“At last, this young girl came to live with her auntie in a home near my homestead. When we approached her to ask if she could marry my son, she graciously agreed,” he said.
The father said that his son was too excited to marry and kept saying that he is still in shock.
“The day after the wedding, he started behaving weirdly. He became violent and broke all the cups, thermoses and other household items. He was too violent and no one could handle him. We were forced to tie his hands with a rope,” said Pemba.
This led to them visiting the Narok County Referral Hospital Mental Health Clinic, where he received counseling for a full month. After that, he became stable.
His father said that his son behaves strangely when he’s too excited or sad. The family is always watching.
“We do not force him to do what he doesn’t want because he can do an awkward thing that can be dangerous. We allow him to do what he wants,” he said.
Gakeri, on the other hand, the young wife, is too vocal when in good and bad moods, to the point of shouting and screaming when she is not in agreement her parents or husband.
Neighbors said that if she doesn’t get enough food from her mother-in-law, she will make a lot of noise and move from one house to another, informing neighbors about the difficulties she is facing.
Elizabeth Sempere, a neighbor and spiritual mentor to Njenga, said that the couple lives at the mercy of their parents because they are unable to do casual labor to support them financially.
“Gakeri cannot cook food for her husband because she will mix all the ingredients in the same sufuria at the same time. This makes her mother in law cook for the couple,” she said.
Sempere appealed to well-wishers for support. She said that the couple loves one another but that they have mental health issues that prevent them from living a happy life.
Ms. Ivy Wambui, the medic in charge of the Narok County Referral Hospital Mental Health Clinic, said that mental health refers to the well-being of someone mentally. However, it does not necessarily mean the absence of illness.
“We have mental wellness and mental illness. What we major in is the preventive measures of mental illness,” said Ms. Wambui.
She explained that mental illness can be caused by many things, including inherited diseases. Newborn children inherit the condition from their parents’ DNA.
Other cases include a child developing mental illness from injuries at birth. This is especially true if the baby was born at home.
Other mental disorders can result from an accident, excessive stress, substance and alcohol abuse, or other factors.
According to the medic, she sees over ten suicide attempts per week and most of her clients are between 12 and 80 years of age.
“We are currently managing a 12-year-old child who attempted suicide because of a dysfunctional family. The child is admitted in the hospital and is in stable condition,” she revealed.
“For the younger ones, conflicts at home may lead to attempted suicide while for the elderly, they may give up in life if they notice the society is no longer interested in them,” she said.
The majority of young people between 20 and 40 are living in difficult economic times.
“Many men want to feel men enough and provide for their families; but because they do not have a source of income, many opt of committing suicide,” she continued.
Ms. Wambui asked that the community treat the couple with love and offer assistance when needed to make them feel like part of the society.
“Give them social and economic support. Let them feel they are part of the society so that they can remain stable and live a good life,” she advised.
She reiterated her belief that the couple could be blessed to have normal, healthy children. However, she asked for the support of close family members in raising the children to ensure that they are able to support their parents.
“The couple could not be able to raise a child. But it is advisable for the parents or close relatives to help bring up their children, who will slowly accept the condition of their parents and support them in future,” said Ms. Wambui.
By Ann Salaton
Source: kenyanews
