Depression among teenagers and young adults is a silent crisis that has become a major concern in Kenya. The lack of jobs, academic challenges, loneliness, and the fear of economic instability have pushed many young people to feel helpless and hopeless.
Unfortunately, mental health services are not popular among young people because they view them as something that is shameful. So, some of them choose to use drugs as their only way of escape from the emotional pain they are going through.
This way of dealing with problems is however proven unhealthy. Though drugs may relieve sadness or anxiety temporarily, they usually worsen depression over time. Substance abuse causes one to have irregular sleep, low energy, poor decision-making skills and, therefore, the addicts become dependent on drugs and their overall health deteriorates.
Peer pressure and the influence of the media make drug use sound normal and acceptable; hence young people are more likely to use drugs without seeking help for their condition.
The reports from the major cities like Nairobi and Mombasa pinpoint drug usage as on the rise among the youth-headed students and the jobless youths, many of whom are emotionally hurting.
Experts say that this co-occurrence of depression and abuse of drugs is a time bomb that will yield disastrous effects such as addiction, social withdrawal, and even suicide unless measures are taken immediately.
Resolving such a problem necessitates two major interventions. To begin with, campaigns on mental health awareness should educate teens not to be ashamed of depression and to understand that reaching out for help is a brave act.
Schools should promote the usage of different methods to deal with depression like therapy, talking with friends, engaging in creative activities, practicing relaxation techniques, and sports through educational programs. The input of parents, teachers, and the community is required to work jointly with the young generation in order to recognize the symptoms of depression early enough and provide them with the support and freedom to talk about it.
The truth of the matter is that drugs will not alleviate depression, but only serve as a risky means of escape. The youth of Kenya should be provided with the real sources of support, empathy, and practical means with which they can safely confront mental health challenges. Society, by confronting depression directly, will thus, have the ability to empower its young generation into healing, developing, and succeeding without harmful shortcuts.
