LIFE IS AESTHETIC
Life is aesthetic, every heartbeat matters. Every living thing strives to prolong its existence. However, human beings are the only creatures known to take their own lives. Why is that? Suicide is the fourth leading cause of mortality among 15-29-year-olds (WHO 2019).
Globally, 700,000 persons are estimated to die by suicide every year with most of the deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries. The World Health Organization (WHO 2019) estimates Kenya’s age-standardized suicide rate to be 11.0 in 100,000. However, there is a scarcity of data on suicide in Kenya. Mental illnesses are often associated with suicidal behavior. Suicidal thoughts associated with depression lifetime prevalence are 7.9% while for other mental illnesses it is 5-8%.
Suicide is a serious global public health problem - it affects people across the lifespan, and is a leading cause of mortality especially among young people. Suicide has devastating impact on families, friends and communities as every life lost represents someone’s partner, child, parent, friend or colleague
Risk factors for suicide
There are multiple contributing factors and causal pathways to suicide and understanding them is important to help devise a range of interventions for its prevention. These factors interact in a complex way to contribute to suicidal behaviors directly but can also contribute indirectly by influencing individual susceptibility to mental disorders.
Most importantly, when you feel it’s all overwhelming for you, to a point where you feel your well-being declining, you are allowed to protect your energy. Caring for someone who depends on you for emotional support can be overwhelming; you can’t fill from an empty cup. You are allowed to reach out to the friends and family of that person so that you can all come up with better ways to support the person. You are allowed to refer them to a mental health professional, a person who is particularly trained to handle such cases.
Therapy plays a big role in suicide prevention. It helps us view the situation from different angles, helps us understand underlying issues that led to the decision, helps us adapt better coping mechanisms, encourages us to seek support, and enlightens us on ways we can support ourselves as well. Therapy helps us understand ourselves better: our triggers, our limits, our strengths, and how our environment and the things around us play a role in our mental wellness
Blog by: JOSEPH MACHARIA KIMEMIA
Published on 7th October, 2022
Globally, 700,000 persons are estimated to die by suicide every year with most of the deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries. The World Health Organization (WHO 2019) estimates Kenya’s age-standardized suicide rate to be 11.0 in 100,000. However, there is a scarcity of data on suicide in Kenya. Mental illnesses are often associated with suicidal behavior. Suicidal thoughts associated with depression lifetime prevalence are 7.9% while for other mental illnesses it is 5-8%.
Suicide is a serious global public health problem - it affects people across the lifespan, and is a leading cause of mortality especially among young people. Suicide has devastating impact on families, friends and communities as every life lost represents someone’s partner, child, parent, friend or colleague
Risk factors for suicide
There are multiple contributing factors and causal pathways to suicide and understanding them is important to help devise a range of interventions for its prevention. These factors interact in a complex way to contribute to suicidal behaviors directly but can also contribute indirectly by influencing individual susceptibility to mental disorders.
- Health system and societal
- Barriers to accessing health care
- Access to means
- Inappropriate media reporting and social media use
- Stigma associated with help-seeking behavior
- Community and relationships
- Disaster, war, and conflict
- Stresses of acculturation and dislocation
- Discrimination
- Trauma or abuse
- Sense of isolation and lack of social support
- Relationship conflict, discord, or loss
- Individual factors
- Previous suicide attempt
- Mental disorders
- Harmful use of alcohol and other substances
- Job or financial loss
- Hopelessness
- Chronic pain and illness
- Family history of suicide
- Genetic and biological factors
Most importantly, when you feel it’s all overwhelming for you, to a point where you feel your well-being declining, you are allowed to protect your energy. Caring for someone who depends on you for emotional support can be overwhelming; you can’t fill from an empty cup. You are allowed to reach out to the friends and family of that person so that you can all come up with better ways to support the person. You are allowed to refer them to a mental health professional, a person who is particularly trained to handle such cases.
Therapy plays a big role in suicide prevention. It helps us view the situation from different angles, helps us understand underlying issues that led to the decision, helps us adapt better coping mechanisms, encourages us to seek support, and enlightens us on ways we can support ourselves as well. Therapy helps us understand ourselves better: our triggers, our limits, our strengths, and how our environment and the things around us play a role in our mental wellness
Blog by: JOSEPH MACHARIA KIMEMIA
Published on 7th October, 2022