Mental health focus- Suicide
Words are powerful. They can cut and kill or they can love and heal. That is the reason we should consider the language we use when we talk about suicide. The World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) will be commemorated tomorrow amid rising cases of suicide rates in Kenya. The importance of public education about suicide cannot be overstated. It is critical for raising awareness of risk in vulnerable populations, encouraging help-seeking, and advocating for new interventions and prevention strategies for those at risk. If we do not change our attitude to mental health issues and suicide, the stigma will make people suffer in silence and ultimately result in more death and suffering.Here are some of the most common myths and facts about suicide.
Myth: Suicide only affects individuals with a mental health condition. Fact: Many individuals with mental illness are not affected by suicidal thoughts and not all people who attempt or die by suicide have mental illness. Relationship problems and other life stressors such as criminal/legal matters, persecution, eviction/loss of home, death of a loved one, a devastating or debilitating illness, trauma, sexual abuse, rejection, and recent or impending crises are also associated with suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Myth: Once an individual is suicidal, he or she will always remain suicidal. Fact: Active suicidal ideation is often short-term and situation-specific. Studies have shown that approximately 54% of individuals who have died by suicide did not have a diagnosable mental health disorder. And for those with mental illness, the proper treatment can help to reduce symptoms. The act of suicide is often an attempt to control deep, painful emotions and thoughts an individual is experiencing. Once these thoughts dissipate, so will the suicidal ideation. While suicidal thoughts can return, they are not permanent. An individual with suicidal thoughts and attempts can live a long, successful life.
Myth: Most suicides happen suddenly without warning. Fact: Warning signs—verbally or behaviorally—precede most suicides. Therefore, it’s important to learn and understand the warnings signs associated with suicide. Many individuals who are suicidal may only show warning signs to those closest to them. These loved ones may not recognize what’s going on, which is how it may seem like the suicide was sudden or without warning.
Myth: People who die by suicide are selfish and take the easy way out. Fact: Typically, people do not die by suicide because they do not want to live—people die by suicide because they want to end their suffering. These individuals are suffering so deeply that they feel helpless and hopeless. Individuals who experience suicidal ideations do not do so by choice. They are not simply, “thinking of themselves,” but rather they are going through a very serious mental health symptom due to either mental illness or a difficult life situation.
Myth: Talking about suicide will lead to and encourage suicide. Fact: There is a widespread stigma associated with suicide and as a result, many people are afraid to speak about it. Talking about suicide not only reduces the stigma, but also allows individuals to seek help, rethink their opinions and share their story with others. We all need to talk more about suicide. Debunking these common myths about suicide can hopefully allow individuals to look at suicide from a different angle—one of understanding and compassion for an individual who is internally struggling. Maybe they are struggling with a mental illness or maybe they are under extreme pressure and do not have healthy coping skills or a strong support system. As a society, we should not be afraid to speak up about suicide, to speak up about mental illness or to seek out treatment for an individual who is in need. Eliminating the stigma starts by understanding why suicide occurs and advocating for mental health awareness within our communities.We need to approach issues of mental health and suicide from a place of compassion that also focuses on the well-being of the person who is facing those struggles. We should not have to wait for certain prescribed days or the death of celebrities to have discussions on these issues. And we also should not restrict these conversations to online platforms. In every part of our community or families – we need to create platforms where we can have frank conversations about these things. We need to constantly challenge our perceptions and the language we use when talking about mental health and suicide. Only then will we help eradicate the stigma surrounding these issues and make it easier for people to seek help or to open up when we check in with them.
Mtazamo wa afya ya akili- Kujiua Maneno ni yenye nguvu. Wanaweza kukata na kuua au wanaweza kupenda na kuponya. Kwa hiyo, ni muhimu kuzingatia lugha tunayotumia tunapozungumza juu ya kujiua. Siku ya kimataifa ya kuzuia kujiua (WSPD) imefanyika leo nchini Kenya, huku idadi ya watu wanajiua ikiongezeka. Umuhimu wa kuelimisha umma kuhusu kujiua hauwezi kukandamizwa. Ni muhimu kwa kuongeza ufahamu wa hatari katika idadi ya watu walio hatarini, kuhamasisha kutafuta msaada, na kutetea uingiliaji mpya na mikakati ya kuzuia kwa wale walio hatarini. Ikiwa hatubadilisha mtazamo wetu kwa masuala ya afya ya akili na kujiua, stigma itafanya watu wateseke kimya na hatimaye kusababisha kifo na mateso zaidi. Uongo: Kujiua huathiri tu watu wenye matatizo ya akili. Ukweli: Watu wengi wenye magonjwa ya akili hawaathiriwi na mawazo ya kujiua na si watu wote wanaojaribu au kufa kwa kujiua wana magonjwa ya akili. Matatizo ya mahusiano na mambo mengine ya maisha kama vile masuala ya jinai au ya kisheria, mateso, kufukuzwa au kupoteza nyumba, kifo cha mtu mpendwa, ugonjwa mbaya au wenye kudhoofisha, majeraha, unyanyasaji wa kingono, kukataliwa, na matatizo ya hivi karibuni au yanayokaribia pia yanahusiana na mawazo ya kujiua na majaribio. Uwongo: Mtu anapokuwa na mwelekeo wa kujiua, ataendelea kuwa na mwelekeo huo milele. Ukweli: Mara nyingi mawazo ya kujiua ni ya muda mfupi na yanategemea hali fulani. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba karibu asilimia 54 ya watu wanaojaribu kujiua hawana ugonjwa wa akili. Na kwa wale walio na ugonjwa wa akili, matibabu sahihi yaweza kusaidia kupunguza dalili. Kujiua ni jaribio la kudhibiti hisia na mawazo yenye uchungu ambayo mtu fulani anaishi. Mawazo hayo yanapoisha, mawazo ya kujiua pia yataisha. Ingawa mawazo ya kujiua yaweza kurudi, hayawezi kudumu. Mtu aliye na mawazo na majaribio ya kujiua aweza kuishi maisha marefu na yenye mafanikio. Uwongo: Watu wengi wanajiua ghafula bila kuonya. Ukweli: Ishara za onyo - za maneno au za tabia - huongoza kwenye mauaji mengi ya kujiua. Kwa hiyo, ni muhimu kujifunza na kuelewa ishara za onyo zinazohusiana na kujiua. Watu wengi wanaotaka kujiua huenda wakionyesha ishara za kuonya tu kwa watu walio karibu nao. Watu hawa wapendwa wanaweza kutotambua kinachoendelea, ambayo ni jinsi inaweza kuonekana kama kujiua ilikuwa ghafla au bila onyo. Uwongo: Watu wanaojaribu kujiua ni wenye ubinafsi na huchagua njia rahisi ya kutoroka. Ukweli: Kwa kawaida, watu hawajiui kwa sababu hawataki kuishi - watu hujiua kwa sababu wanataka kukomesha mateso yao. Watu hao wanateseka sana hivi kwamba wanahisi hawana msaada na hawana tumaini. Watu wanaofikiria kujiua hawafanyi hivyo kwa hiari yao wenyewe. Wao si tu, <unk> kufikiri juu yao wenyewe, <unk> lakini badala yao ni kwenda kwa njia ya dalili kubwa sana afya ya akili kutokana na ama ugonjwa wa akili au hali ngumu ya maisha. Uwongo: Kuzungumza juu ya kujiua kutaongoza na kuchochea kujiua. Ukweli: Kuna chuki kubwa kuhusu kujiua na kwa sababu hiyo, watu wengi huogopa kusema juu ya jambo hilo. Kuzungumza juu ya kujiua sio tu hupunguza stigma, lakini pia inaruhusu watu kutafuta msaada, kufikiria tena maoni yao na kushiriki hadithi yao na wengine. Sote tunahitaji kuongea zaidi juu ya kujiua. Kupinga hadithi hizi za kawaida kuhusu kujiua kwa matumaini inaweza kuruhusu watu kuangalia kujiua kutoka pembe tofauti - moja ya uelewa na huruma kwa mtu ambaye ni mapambano ya ndani. Labda wanajitahidi na ugonjwa wa akili au labda wako chini ya shinikizo kubwa na hawana ujuzi wa kukabiliana na afya au mfumo thabiti wa msaada. Kama jamii, hatupaswi kuogopa kusema juu ya kujiua, kuongea juu ya ugonjwa wa akili au kutafuta matibabu kwa mtu anayehitaji. "Kukomesha stigma huanza kwa kuelewa kwa nini kujiua hutokea na kutetea ufahamu wa afya ya akili ndani ya jamii zetu. ""Tunahitaji kukabiliana na masuala ya afya ya akili na kujiua kutoka mahali pa huruma ambayo pia inazingatia ustawi wa mtu anayekabiliwa na mapambano hayo." Hatupaswi kusubiri siku fulani au kifo cha mtu mashuhuri ili tuzungumze juu ya mambo hayo. Na pia hatupaswi kuzuia mazungumzo haya kwenye majukwaa ya mtandaoni. Katika kila sehemu ya jamii yetu au familia <unk> tunahitaji kuunda majukwaa ambapo tunaweza kuwa na mazungumzo ya uwazi juu ya mambo haya. Tunahitaji daima kutisha maoni yetu na lugha tunayotumia tunapozungumza juu ya afya ya akili na kujiua. Ni wakati huo tu tutakapoweza kusaidia kuondoa stigma inayozunguka masuala haya na kufanya iwe rahisi kwa watu kutafuta msaada au kufungua wakati tunapowasiliana nao.