Drug abuse, broken families blamed for rising cases of students taking own lives, experts say

The increasing number of suicide cases among learners in Naivasha has been attributed to a surge in mental health challenges driven by dysfunctional families, depression, and substance abuse.

In the past year, at least ten primary and secondary school students in Naivasha have died by suicide.

According to Lydia Nyaga, the Mental Health Coordinator in Nakuru County, the rise in suicides cases have been attributed to substance abuse, joblessness, depressions, lack of finances and dysfunctional families.

Nyaga said cases of people seeking care in the county have been on the rise due to increased awareness in the community and reduced stigma on the illness. 

She added that the person's affected by mental health could access medical care at the County Referral Hospital and Gilgil Mental facility.

On her part, Jamila Angela, a director at Golden Life Recovery Centre in Naivasha said there had been an increase in cases of attempted suicides with most of the cases going unreported.

Speaking after a mental health awareness walk in Naivasha, she said the biggest challenge to address the rising cases was lack of access to affordable care and increased stigma on the affected.

She said Naivasha and Nyandarua had recorded more cases driven by high cost of living, rising unemployment and drug and substance abuse among teens.

“We welcome the move by the government to decriminalize suicide as people affected by mental health need medical attention and not being criminally charged,” she said.

On her part, Millicent Wairimu, a Community Health Promoter noted that cases of person's suffering from mental health illnesses were on the rise especially at the community level.

“Youths bear the biggest blunt owing to drug abuse, denial and dysfunctional families and there is a need to raise awareness for people to seek help as it’s crucial to defeat the crisis,” she said.

Goodwill Omondi, a travelling psychologist said the decriminalization of suicide, the enactment of mental health bill and raising awareness would help address the cases which have mostly affected the youths.

Eric Maina, a nursing officer at Golden Life Recovery Centre said that most of the patients seeking help at the center were the youths with leading causes being drugs and substance abuse.