Depression is a common mental disorder that most people tend to ignore.
It can be caused by upsetting or stressful life events, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries.
Over the years mental illness has been noticeable increasing among journalists globally.
Journalists are more susceptible to falling into depression over the nature of things covered.
Other factors that can contribute to depression among journalists include
- Covering violence graphic stories of death, abuse or abuse.
- Harassment,
- Toxic work environment
- Sexual harassments
- Burnout
- Sleep and eating disorders
- Lack of moral support in and out of work among other factors.
In Kenya, reports show that one out of four people suffer from a mental health condition.
In a recent case, a well known former Nation health professional journalist Nasibo Kabale is living in the streets. She says, "Nilikuwa tu nataka kufa hiyo siku."
She was then taken to hospital where she was treated with antidepressants.
She thereafter quit her job from the overwhelm of fighting depression. Nasibo also hopes that she could see her child again explaining that "what hurts the most is the fact that I don't see my child."
Nasibo pleads for help saying that if she got a well wisher, everything for her would go back to normal in 3 months and promised that she would also quit drugs.
Another case that transpired was a well known journalist at Citizen TV, Kimani Mbugua began fighting mental health problem after someone spiked his drink at a party.
This made Kimani lose his job and some of close friends being left with no one to rely on for help.
There has been many other cases in the past years.
In 2019, the BBC journalist Ciru Muriuki opened up on her mental health and shocked those who knew her.
“I have been MIA on social media for a bit. The biggest reason is work. Work can get really busy and don’t get me wrong, I love my job but it’s also really demanding.
Then there is also the fact that I have been struggling a bit with my mental health. I’ve had moments of great anxiety; I’ve had a couple of depressing moments." She said at the time
Muriuki added,
“You know what, I’m understating it when I say depressed moments it sounds like I felt down for about three minutes and sixty-three seconds and that’s not the case.
I’ve had periods of days and days turning to weeks that I’ve just not been okay and because I’ve not been okay, I have not had the motivation to do much other than work and sleep.”
In 2021, BBC journalist Emmanuel Igunza confessed battling depression.
Moreover, Betty Kyallo, Julie Gichuru, Joey Muthengi, and Anita Nderu are just a few journalists who have confessed having wrestled with depression.
In conclusion, depression is real and it is matter that shouldn't be taken lightly. It can attack people of all ages, ethnicity, races and gender.
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