Last year I managed to do a lot of advocacy in different institutions including churches, mosques and prisons mostly in Nairobi. In each of these places I informed them of the 40 free psychotherapy services by Nairobi Metropolitan Services and referred them to the nearest facility on the list. However in policy we have been pushing for focus on county community mental health services for the last 5 years. Over this time, I have desired to practically understand the current mental health services available - their strengths, weaknesses and gaps in my county of residence, Kiambu.
So last year in the first quarter I volunteered in 3 mental health facilities and planning to engage the rest this year. This is why I am extremely excited to be invited to write a health column for a new upcoming magazine for Kiambu County that will highlight the wealth of resources in our people, land, businesses, industries, administration etc. The first health column will be on mental health as a starter to a buffet of various health topics. Cheers to the first below...
My name is Charity Muturi and I am a resident of Kiambaa in Kiambu County. I love speaking and writing about health because of the insights we have learnt in managing seven chronic illnesses between my parents and I. I believe in patients and caregivers being empowered to live wholesome lives and to be included in all health decision making tables concerning us. That we can play an active role in attaining the highest attainable standards of health in line with Article 43 of the Constitution of Kenya.
While we are residents of Kiambu, of our family treatment has been across different facilities in Nairobi. So for a long time I have had the desire to know better the health facilities and services offered in the county and share the information with the residents. I dream of a time when all family members will find one-stop services for all health needs in the closest health facility. I am extremely excited to be hosting this health column so that together we can learn, support and improve health in this great county.
I live with a mental health condition known as bipolar mood disorder. I have grown up in a very loving family but had low self-esteem as a child which affected my school performance. In high school I had high moods where I would engage excessively in extra-curricular activities and in low moods I had many physical illnesses and fainting. During college and work in the highs I would be very energetic with no sleep, had many ideas and projects that I could not complete and made terrible decisions. These were followed by lows where I struggled to wake up, to eat, shower or talk to anyone.
In 2015 I was retrenched and went through my energetic highs for but the low season lower and lower and I couldn’t get myself out of it. A psychologist explained to me that we all have moods. When we are getting married or get a good job, we experience emotions like excitement and happiness. While challenges like losing a loved one or betrayal, may lead to anger and bitterness. However, when emotions greatly exceed the usual and cannot be tied to a specific event then it is a mood disorder. Bipolar mood disorder highs that are called mania and the lows are called depression.
The psychologist explained that since the moods I had were severe, I needed to be stabilized with medication then come back for psychotherapy. She sent me to a psychiatrist who interviewed my parents and I and diagnosed me with bipolar mood disorder. I still had my private insurance cover from my previous job so I had high quality tests, consultation and medication.
However, after 4 months it ran out. I was on and off treatment for 2 years until I settled as a patient of Mathari National Teaching & Referral Hospital. I have shared my in-patient experience of Mathari in this post: https://charitymuturi.wixsite.com/read/post/ikissedthedevilfoundmyselfatmathari. I continue to take medication, go for therapy, participate in peer support groups and my family is very supportive.
It took me 3 years to finally admit to the doctor that I had struggled with suicidal ideation since I was 14 years old. I did not talk about it because of shame with my father being a pastor and because suicide attempt is a crime in Kenya. Since 2017 I have been engaging in advocacy in churches, schools, hospitals, universities, local and international media. I also do global policy with the World Health Organisation and the Ministry of Health. I served in the National Task Force on Mental Health and currently as a court petitioner to decriminalise suicide attempt in Kenya with KNCHR and Kenya Psychiatric Association.
All policies including the Kenya Mental Health Policy, Kenya Mental Health Report and new Mental Health Act focus on outpatient community mental health in counties. So I have been mapping these mental health services in my county. So far I have visited Kiambu Sub-County Level 5 Hospital, Karuri Level 4 Hospital and Kihara Level 4 Hospital. In the next issue I will provide more information to help us understand mental health better and the psychiatric facilities available in our beloved counthy.
In the meantime, I would like to hear from you. What specific issues would you want me to highlight regarding mental health or about these facilities? Kiambu ni sisi...
Comments