Kenya was recently ranked among the top 10 countries in Africa with most depression cases.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of people living with depression and dying from depression in Kenya is growing year by year, with males dying from suicide out of depression being higher than the number of females, probably because females are able to speak out more.
Kenya ranks number six in depression cases in Africa.
Depression in the country has been linked to domestic violence, drug abuse, unemployment and serious financial constraints in the country.
The number of psychiatrists in the country is set to be increased to curb the issue of increasing suicide cases caused by depression.
The number of suicides linked to depression reported in Kenya rose by 58 per cent between 2008 and 2017 to reach 421, official data reveal.
Although the number of suicide cases has been rising since 2008, the data show the lowest incidents were recorded in 2010 at 75 cases.
The report also shows that more men are likely to commit suicide than women. Out of the 421 suicide cases in 2017, 330 involved men.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that close to 800,000 people commit suicide every year, which means one person every 40 seconds. Many more attempt suicide, WHO adds.
The World Population Review ranks Kenya at position 114 among 175 countries with the highest suicide rate.
The world Population Review in its survey states that Kenya’s suicide rate is at least 6.5 suicides per 100,000 people, a figure echoed by World Health Organisation.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth in the 15-29 age bracket.
Besides depression, other risk factors include access to firearms, physical or sexual abuse, unemployment, strained relationships, imprisonment, chronic physical illness, financial difficulties, loneliness and exposure to the suicidal behaviour of others.
BeFriends organisation’s advice on people with suicidal thoughts is that, you don’t need to act on your thoughts right now. The option of taking your own life isn’t going to go away.
You can make this decision tomorrow, next week or next month if you still want to. When you are feeling so bad that you want to take your own life, the thought of just getting through the next few days seem unbearable.
Try to focus on just getting through today and not the rest of your life. It may feel that the way you usually cope with these feelings is weaker today. You may not feel able to imagine getting through this.
Please like, comment and share..