- A suicide attempt is when someone harms themselves with any intent to end their life, but they do not die as a result of their actions.
- In 2022, an estimated 13.2 million adults thought about suicide, 3.8 million planned a suicide attempt and 1.6 million attempted suicide.
Imagine a situation whereby you are seated with someone in a matatu and as you wait to alight at the next stop, the person tells you he wants to die.
This is what most people go through either at work, schools, matatus, hospitals or even in public settings.
Most people contemplate taking their own lives because they hear noises, they hear negative thoughts that keep asking them to kill themselves.
Peter Ngatia* not his real name has been grappling with such thoughts not knowing that he has gone suicidal.
"I hear noises. Very many people talking in my head and all they say are negative things," he says.
Ngatia who seems a bit lost and empty says the voices encourage him to cut himself.
"When these thoughts begin, all I see is blood. And when I start seeing blood visions, then I look for something sharp," he says.
He has been grappling with these thoughts for about 7 years and it was only until last year that he sought help.
"I only knew that I had suicidal thoughts last year. But it's not a very good feeling because you get overwhelmed and can't focus on anything," he says.
But he is not alone. Ann* also opened up to the Star about how overwhelming life had become.
She says that balancing life, work and marriage was becoming a hard task.
According to her, she felt disappointed that she had not perfected what she wanted in life.
"The only way to relieve what I was going through was to end my life," she says.
She added that these thoughts have been recurring in her mind quite often.
Ann has, however, resorted to seeking help from a support group every evening where she has been able to open up more and felt the burden of thoughts reducing by the day.
Ann and Ngatia's cases are among thousands of different suicidal thoughts in the country and around the world.
As the world celebrates World Suicide Prevention Day 2024, the key message to these people is 'You are not alone'.
As Kenya joins the world in celebrating this day, cases of people dying by suicide over the past few days has been alarming
Five people have died by suicide in separate incidents reported to police On September 7-8.
Kenya through the Ministry of Health has launched Kenya’s first Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Common Mental Disorders.
This is along with a Kenya-adapted version of the World Health Organisation's Mental Health Gap Action Programme.
The launch coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day, themed "Changing the Narrative on Suicide," which emphasises the need for better early detection and treatment to reduce suicide rates in Kenya.
But what is suicide?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is death caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die.
A suicide attempt is when someone harms themselves with any intent to end their life, but they do not die as a result of their actions.
It is connected to other forms of injury and violence. For example, people who have experienced violence, including child abuse, bullying, or sexual violence have a higher suicide risk.
Being connected to family and community support and having easy access to healthcare can decrease suicidal thoughts and behavior
Suicide rates increased by approximately 36 per cent between 2000–2022. It was responsible for 49,476 deaths in 2022, which is about one death every 11 minutes.
According to the CDC, the number of people who think about or attempt suicide is even higher. In 2022, an estimated 13.2 million adults thought about suicide, 3.8 million planned a suicide attempt and 1.6 million attempted suicide.
Signs and Symptoms
According to the WHO, suicidal thoughts can be felt through a pain that seems overwhelming and unbearable.
One can have feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, loneliness and constant negative thoughts.
They may also have difficulty imagining any way to deal with their problems other than suicide.
They may also feel that everyone would be better off without them and they have difficulty understanding why they are thinking or feeling that way.
Anyone experiencing this need to know...
That they are not alone. Many people have gone through what you are experiencing and found help.
It's okay to talk about suicide because talking can help alleviate some of the feelings they are experiencing.
Experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm is a sign of severe emotional distress.
Having suicidal thoughts is not a weakness and nothing to feel guilty about. You can get better.
What to do
If you are having suicidal thoughts, talk to someone you trust about how you feel.
Talk to a health worker, such as a doctor or mental health professional, or a counsellor or social worker.
Join a support group and if you think you're in immediate danger of harming yourself contact the emergency services or a crisis line.
All about World Suicide Prevention Day
This year's theme aims to raise awareness about the importance of reducing stigma and encouraging open conversations to prevent suicides.
Changing the narrative on suicide is about transforming how we perceive the complex issue and shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness, understanding, and support.
WHO said that the call to action encourages everyone to start the conversation on suicide and suicide prevention.
Every conversation, no matter how small, contributes to a supportive and understanding society.
By initiating these vital conversations, we can break down barriers, raise awareness, and create better cultures of support.
It was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO).
The September 10 each year aims to focus attention on the issue, reduce stigma and raise awareness among organizations, governments, and the public, giving a singular message that suicides are preventable.