Dr. Florence Blog spot

  RETHINKING MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH  "Mwanaume unalia aje?” is a phrase many of us have heard or even used without much thought. Translated loosely to “How can a man cry?”, it’s a rhetorical question often meant to shame or silence men who dare show emotion. In Kenyan society, men are widely expected to be strongholds, unshaken, resilient, and silent in the face of adversity. But are they really that strong? And do we truly understand the weight of this expectation? Statistics paint a troubling picture. According to the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), depression and suicide are leading causes of death among Kenyan men. Out of 38,364 suicide cases, 79% were men, dying by suicide at nearly four times the rate of women. Alcohol-related deaths are similarly skewed, with 62,000 men dying from alcohol-related causes compared to 26,000 women. Data from the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality also shows that men are two to thre...

 "At 20, while my classmates and friends were planning their weekend outings and going shopping, I was working at a local restaurant and sending part of my HELB loan back home to support my family. They all look up to me. but sometimes, that weight drains me completely." Being a firstborn in Kenya comes with an enormous burden, especially if you come from a struggling home. It’s like becoming a third parent, not just to your siblings, but sometimes even to your own parents. You lead, you sacrifice, and you bury your emotions six feet under just to stand tall for the family. Worse still is the constant fear of not making it in life, of letting everyone down. For many families, once the firstborn makes it to campus, it's as though they’ve already secured a job. They become the go-to solution for everything, from food and medical needs to school fees for younger siblings. Every phone call is a reminder of what’s expected. Most times, this forces firstborn students to take on...