An In-Depth Analysis of Mental Health in Kenya's Showbiz Sector

Piece by: GARVIN PATRICK

13 May 2024

•Fame and money are great benefits of the industry, but they may be harmful to one's mental health

Kenya is home to some of the world's most famous musicians, actors, and media moguls in a dynamic and cutthroat entertainment sector.

Fame and money are great benefits of the industry, but they may be harmful to one's mental health. With an emphasis on the sad instances when these struggles resulted in suicide.

Being a mental health awareness month, this piece will examine the elements that contribute to mental health issues among Kenyan celebrities.

How Notorious People Can Be?

Underneath the glitz and glamour of celebrity life, there are frequently tremendous demands. Famous Kenyans have hectic schedules, intense public scrutiny, and constant competition.

Worse, financial instability is common, particularly at the beginning of a person's professional life.

Online bullies and unreasonable expectations add insult to injury when it comes to the psychological toll that social media can deliver.

Drug Abuse and the Practice of Self-Medication

As a first guess, I'd say that stress and drug usage are factors. A look at the availability of drugs in the entertainment industry and the possibility of self-medication as a coping mechanism is what this report is all about.

The connection between substance misuse and mental health issues is something we'll investigate.

Real-World Examples

Tragically, this piece will delve into the situations of some Kenyan celebrities who have undergone depression and others who committed suicide.

Journalist Kimani Mbugua:

He hosted broken news, web wars with our favorite tweeps & traffic updates on Citizen plus Wathii Kuu on their vernacular station at Inooro TV plus radio

These new roles meant he needed to burn the midnight oil & being quite a high achiever, he took the work like a champ not worrying about the burn.

While chasing over performance & calmness afterward he discovered drugs unaware that he had genetic issues.

Kimani, who is currently struggling with Bipolar Disorder evident in the manic videos he's been posting and also the kind of criticism from the netizens which is both negative and positive.

Not knowing that the illness is associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs caused by a combination of genetics, environment, and altered brain structure where the patient loses touch with reality.

Actor Charles Ouda:

The actor who was renowned for his roles in popular shows like Makutano Junction, Junction Junior, Second Family, and Salem seemed ok on the last day he was seen alive.

He was not suffering from any known ailments, according to those who knew him.

His outstanding abilities garnered him numerous accolades, including the prestigious title of Best Director at the 2016 Asian American Film Lab 72 Hour Shoot Out and multiple awards from the NYC Indie Film Awards.

At the peak of his career, the thespian later this year after attending the 'Salem' show launch, he was found having committed suicide which was later confirmed that the cause was depression.

Rugby player Dan Odongo:

A tragic finish to an astonishing career that can only be compared to a Kenyan rugby star, Dan Odongo, who, after becoming the object of every woman's desire, became the embodiment of evil due to his spiraling mental illness and drug abuse.

Raising Awareness

In addition to discussing the negative outcomes, this report will also focus on the beneficial changes related to mental health.

Ideas suggested:

This piece utilizes the data to provide ways in which the entertainment industry in Kenya may better support mental health.

Among these, you may find:

Programs that raise awareness about mental health: providing workers in the field with tools to recognize the symptoms of mental distress and encouraging people to seek treatment when they need it.

Programs that offer support to employees: Giving famous people and others working in the entertainment industry discreet access to mental health professionals.

Achieving a healthy equilibrium between work and personal life: Reducing stress and burnout through setting reasonable limits and promoting rest periods.

In summary,

This research seeks to bring attention to the mental health struggles experienced by Kenyan celebrities in the hopes of starting a dialogue about these issues.

We can build a more welcoming atmosphere for people working in entertainment by promoting honest communication and easy access to resources.