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Stepping Up on Mental Health Advocacy among Kenyan Communities

 As a mental health advocate from Kenya, I am certain that a great number of mental health survivors are unable to afford medication or therapy services, or even both. This is because most communities still hold to the traditional ways of dealing with the condition. Biggest reason is lack of awareness for mental health at the community levels. Most people only become aware of how important it is when the illnesses finally manifests physically; which is always very tragic and undesired. To most of them, mental illness is a western thing, and any traits displayed by mental illness survivors are described differently by different cultures. This is because different groups have different lenses through which they look at mental health issues. The lenses are primarily directed by an interplay of the underlying culture, values, beliefs, and norms. It explains the high prevalence of stigma surrounding mental health in Kenya. The aftermath of the inconsistent views regarding the topic of
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Unmasking Bipolar Disorder- A Personal Journey and Call to Awareness

 Bipolar disorder is often misunderstood, especially when it comes to how it affects men. In this article, I, Dancan Odingo, a bipolar survivor, share my experiences to shed light on this complex condition and raise awareness in our communities. While some experiences may overlap with other mental illnesses, fellow bipolar warriors will recognize the odyssey I describe here, as well as in my blogs and social media posts. Understanding Bipolar Disorder- More Than an Identity It's crucial to clarify that bipolar disorder is not an identity. It manifests through various signs and symptoms. My diagnosis wasn't the result of advanced psychiatry, but rather the characteristics I exhibited during my first manic episode. From personal experience, I believe that those who live with bipolar disorder have carried it since birth. Drawing from my research and credible stories I've encountered, I argue that no one is completely immune to this condition. The concept of "neuroplastic
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The Power of Fitness: Building a Strong Sense of Self Through Mental Health Challenges

In a world full of distractions and challenges, no excuse should deter anyone from their fitness goals. As a survivor of a mental health condition, I have learned the invaluable lesson of maintaining a fit body despite any odds. Physical fitness fundamentally creates a robust and unbreakable sense of self. This principle hinges on believing in yourself and your capabilities. Unfortunately, mental health is often misrepresented, leading to widespread misconceptions. As a result, many people are misled by inaccurate explanations rather than relying on scientifically proven findings. Achieving holistic healing through mental health challenges is highly complex, making it crucial for survivors to engage in activities that nourish their emotions and help them develop a stronger sense of self. This article explores my personal journey in building a substantial sense of self through fitness. After a long struggle with an unmedicated and mostly undiagnosed mental health condition—ranging from
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The Plight of the Unmedicated Bipolar Disorder Survivors in sub-Saharan Africa and other Third World Countries

  As a survivor of Bipolar Disorder from the sub-Sahara African regions, I have a first-hand experience of what it looks like to battle with the illness without medication or professional therapy. Briefly, about my condition, the extent of anxiety that came with an instant shift in my financial condition that was mercilessly derailed by COVID-19 got me into a psychotic breakdown. The situation was followed by an admission into a psychiatric ward where I was subjected to an injection that sent me to unconscious sleep for three consecutive days. Weeks after leaving the hospital, curiosity and worry got me looking up further for the condition on the internet. After learning more about the condition, I was able to come to terms with the new label of Bipolar Disorder, something that has far kept me sane since I am always on the lookout for all the possible coping mechanisms. However, the internet strategy has not always been effective since it has sometimes involved situations of mild relap
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How Environment and Society Impact Healing and Recovery Journey with a Mental Health Problem

     As a mental health enthusiast, I am firmly convinced that an individual’s surroundings and the society at large have a great significance on their recovery and healing process from a mental health crisis. Even though society is always oblivious to the impacts of their responses and behaviours on those suffering from various mental health problems, they contribute to more than half of the healing process. Referencing my own experience, my entire healing process is attributed to the societal treatment alongside their responses towards me during the peak seasons of my mental health crisis. The psyche wrestling with the incongruity of how I wanted society to view me alongside how they actually viewed me led to the constant developing and re-developing of habits that, in turn, significantly improved   my condition. After experiencing the impact of the surrounding environment on my recovery process, I developed a list of certain key factors to consider for acquiring the right environmen
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How a person feels like after first Diagnosis with a Mental Health problem like Bipolar I Disorder

     As a mental health enthusiast, I have learned the significance of being aware of the feelings after the first diagnosis of a mental health illness or disorder. Without proper comprehension of the impending normal, it is difficult to correctly manage a condition and live a full and successful life. In this article, I am explaining a personal experience that transpired during the initial stages of a post-diagnosis with my condition; Bipolar Disorder. This is to particularly build on the existing peer-support forums to help other fellows self-manage themselves by informing them what they can expect in case they had or have fallen victims.      After stepping out from the psychiatric ward, I first began feeling like my support system during the whole scenario had no clue of what was actually happening in my world. The immediate post-manic feeling was that of spontaneity. At one time, it felt like I was in control of everything happening and was constantly trying to justify all the rea
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Struggles and Challenges experienced by Mental Health Victims after first Diagnosis with a Mental Health Condition like Bipolar I Disorder

       I can clearly recall that before I departed from the psychiatric ward, my skin was clear and unmarked by any ink for a tattoo. However, while trying to change the surrounding environmental perception of a psychotic catastrophe I had experienced, I found myself doing face tattoos that I didn't even know their meanings. To me, they were tributes to my past experience with the unprecedented traumatic condition that I couldn't even explain how it occurred. The action was primarily influenced by impulsivity, which is always a hallmark of Bipolar I Disorder, as I could identify after looking up my condition on several websites. The whole point of the face tattoos was to act as tributes to my past experience and create something incredibly distinctive that would easily divert the attention of my circle and close families from the mental health catastrophe I had just endured. Since the level of understanding and comprehension of mental health matters within my environment was sh
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