Mental health Awareness month has been observed in the United States since 1949 to recognize and raise awareness of the impact of mental health on the physical, emotional, social and general wellbeing of children and adults with mental health challenges and their families and communities.
Mental health is an essential aspect of a person's overall health, however remains silenced and stigmatized in most communities. In Kenya, we recently started recognizing the importance of creating the right awareness about mental health conditions as well as the right support systems. WHO stated Kenya has the fourth highest number of depressed people in Africa. Depression is the most common mental health condition.
It is important for people experiencing mental health challenges to know that they are not alone, it is okay not to be okay, please reach out for prevention works, speak out! There is help, there is treatment is effective and people do recover for mental health and live fulfilled lives.
My questions today is, Do people with disabilities experience Mental Health Challenges?
Do you think, the awareness on mental health is inclusive and people with disabilities are been considered in the conversations?
Mental health and disability are intertwining issues. Most of the time, mental health is placed under the disability banner.
To answer your questions, persons with disabilities are considered when it comes to mental health because of the fact that they are considered as one.
Secondly, persons with disabilities do experience mental health issues just like any other person. Mental health is universal and anyone can suffer from mental illness.
its shocking to see Kenya ranked fourth in the list of most depressed. depression is with us and we cannot deny it any longer. mental health challenge should be inclusive for everyone. reach out for help
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https://community.enableme.org/en/discussion/comment/271464#Comment_271464
Depression is indeed with us. How do people with disabilities deal with depression and is the way it is being addressed in Kenya inclusive for everyone? do we consider the need to address depression among people with disabilities?
everyone feels confused when depression matters is tabled for discussion but this is a condition that starts destroying us from the inside. people experience it differently but the symptoms can be same. In Kenya ,its not that inclusive however the movement of mental health are ready to walk the journey with depressed individuals. depressions comes with other feelings of worthlessness ,hopelessness, helplessness and even those of ending ones life ,lets speak of it!
@Matthijs on 9th of June 2021 the ministry of health launched A mental Health Action Plan for the next four years and one of the important thing was to increase funding of key programmes. Sensitization of decriminalization of suicide is on going and steps like these make it meaningful to mental health.
Those are good questions @Matthijs we shall put up information on what a person can do if they are struggling with mental health. We also need to do our research on a good organization that is accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities.