The Silent Struggle:Mental Health Crisis in Kenyan Universities

Beyond the joyful lecture hall, a silent and unseen burden is unfolding leaving behind invisible scars. A spectral metal health crisis with a chilling intensity looms over Kenyan University casting a suffocating shadow. 

We as students are shouldering heavy burdens of academic failure, financial anxiety and the urge to meet societal expectations. The intense academic atmosphere creates a breeding ground of anxiety and depression that constantly reminds us of the need to excel without failing.

It's not just the academic pressure though that's the driving factor. The unceasing pursuit of good grades and looming threat of unemployment after graduation weighs heavily on our minds. But it's more than that.  It's the financial hardship caused by the rising cost of living, forcing students to juggle between dreams and bills through side hustle. The part time jobs leaves a little time for rest, a basic self-care need. 

Then there is the societal expectation to reach the idealized standards of success, the perfection portrayed on social media fuels feelings of inadequacy.

Take for instance the story of Esther a second year student taking Communication Studies as a course in Chuka University, "My day starts at 5:00 a.m. I manage an online clothing store where I have to handle orders and delivery before classes. During breaks, I respond to customers and proceed to create content to market my business. I schedule my study hours to late evening but sometimes this proves difficult as I pack orders till late-night.

Esther's story is echoed by countless other students. We are a generation that has to be self-reliant due to lack of financial support by our families.

Thestigma surrounding mental health in Kenya further intensifies the problem as many students fear to seek help as they fear judgment. They suffer in silence. The consequence of this silence in the alarming rise of student suicide, anxiety and depression.

University is still struggling with how to address the pandemic. Though counselling services are offered, they are unable to meet the growing demand. Mental health campaigns are often insufficient. We need more than just awareness. We need action. We need support where students feel safe to seek help with without fear of stigmatization.

We as students have an important role to play. We need to break the silence by having honest conversations and supporting each other to create a community where no one feels left out. We need to prioritize self-care and recognize signs of distress.

 While individual responsibility is important "kidole kimoja hakivunji chawa". This Swahili expression highlights the effectiveness of collective responsibility. Universities and government must step up in providing more trained counselors and integrating mental health education in the curriculum.

The mental issue is a ticking time bomb that threatens to wipe an entire generation. We cannot ignore it anymore. We need to create an environment that natures student well-being both academically and emotionally.

 We are more than students. We are human beings and our mental health matters. We are the future of Kenya. We deserve a nation that sees mental well-being as a right and not a privilege.