Today, Mwikali Mwanzia, Project Officer at CEJAD, reflects on the shame and stigma surrounding suicide in Kenya and shares her insights into the role of family and social media have in suicide and gaps within Kenya’s health care system.
This the fourth part of a five-part blog series: Breaking the Silence – Reflections on Stigma, Grief, and Suicide in Kenya. Read the full series introduction here.
*Warning: This article discusses suicidal behaviour. If you have questions on self-harm or feel suicidal, use this link to find an international helpline.*
CEJAD team in Kenya during the film scoping exercise.
What I felt before the film began
I had mixed feelings while we were planning for the screening of the film Her Name Was Sita.
On one hand, I was elated to be involved in the planning and looking forward to working closely with Heshani Sothiraj Eddleston, the filmmaker.
On the other hand, I felt anxious – would we be able to reach the right audiences and guests in time?
On the day of the screening, I was relieved and happy to see people streaming into the auditorium, especially the campus students.
Even though I was busy registering participants and ushering them in, I noticed how attentive and engaged they were with the film and the panel discussions that followed.
I would say the screening was a success.
Suicide is a rarely explored topic in Kenya and I believe the film helped create some much-needed awareness on the deeply rooted impact of shame in society.
What my family’s reaction taught me
One of the things I remember most during the scoping exercise was when we were tasked with identifying suicide victims or survivors or families affected by suicide.
I reached out to my family WhatsApp group to ask if they knew any survivors in the community.
My family was a bit shocked and concerned that I would need such information, and it got me thinking about how suicide is still heavily stigmatised, even in private spaces.
Luckily enough, one of my aunts connected me with a nurse who works as the head of the Mental Health Unit at a public hospital who accepted my request to support the scoping.
During my visit with the nurse, I learned just how much stigma and shame surrounds suicide.
Most most families cover up the cases of suicide due to the fear of being judged by the community and in some instances, being condemned by the religious institutions.
The community views suicide not as a mental health issue, but as a spiritual or moral failure.
What Broke My Heart
One of the most painful and disheartening revelations was hearing how some survivors are afraid to go home after being discharged from the hospital.
In some cases, they are rejected by their family and communities because they are seen to be a burden on them, especially if they are poor or living with a chronic medical condition.
The family will keep on reminding the survivor how they wish the suicide was successful.
Gaps in the Health System
During the scoping exercise, I noticed there are several systematic challenges in Kenya’s health system.
- Poor classification of suicide cases: All cases poisoning cases are recorded under ‘organophosphates’ making it difficult in pinpointing the specific substances of poisoning.
- Limited follow-up care: There is a serious lack of psycho-social support and follow-up services for survivors of suicide after hospital discharge.
- Undertrained health workers: Most of the health sector workers lack specialised training in handling suicide cases and grief counselling.
A personal journey: seeing and listening differently in our homes, online and everywhere.
My journey has been eye-opener.
I have gained a much deeper understanding of the realities surrounding suicide and the silent grief and heavy burdens that affected families carry.
Since then, I have become more interested and am paying closer attention to conversations around suicide, mental health and grief on social media.
It saddens me when I see how survivors and victims are often ridiculed or dismissed by their families and on social media channels.
I’m convinced that as a country, we need safe spaces where people can talk freely without being judged.
We also need affordable and accessible counselling services especially in rural and under-served communities.
We must remember that behind every suicide attempt is a story, a struggle and a person who deserves compassion and understanding, not condemnation.
About the author:
Mwikali Mwanzia is an environmental scientist with about six years’ experience in environmental research, management and sustainability
Her work at CEJAD focuses on implementing national projects under the Elimination of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) program. She has been involved in monitoring the use and impacts of pesticides, and creating awareness on impacts of pesticides in farming communities in Kenya.
