Kenyan comedian and philanthropist Eric Omondi has called for men’s mental health to be taken more seriously.
He shared this message while interacting with his former employee, Isindu, who is currently battling depression.
Eric revealed that Isindu’s struggles have been intensified by the loss of his mother and a troubled marriage.
Taking to his social media, Eric posted a video of a visibly distraught Isindu, expressing his concern:
“Isindu worked in my team as a logistics manager from 2011 to 2017… Men’s mental health and depression are a universal pandemic. Men suffer a lot in silence. But if men are the heads of families and leaders in society, we must start having this conversation. Otherwise, we will continue living in a broken society.”
Eric further noted that despite everything, Isindu is in denial and has yet to fully accept help.
“Isindu is not okay. Life has not been kind to him. From marital problems to shattered dreams (by the way, the song playing in the background is ‘Ubabi’ by Isindu) and losing his mother—the only family he had left. I spent the whole of yesterday and last night with him, and the saddest part is that he hasn’t fully accepted that he needs help. But at least we have started the journey, the conversation.”
Eric has vowed to support Isindu as he begins his journey to recovery and healing.
“I was supposed to take him to rehab today, but we couldn’t agree. In just one night, I watched him lose his mind three times simply because we denied him access to his substances. But Isindu will be okay. We will fight for him, we will fight with him. HE WILL WIN—because there is no other option. His son needs him. His wife needs him. We need him.”
Understanding Depression
According to the Mayo Clinic, depression is a mood disorder that causes persistent sadness and loss of interest.
It affects how a person feels, thinks, and behaves, often leading to emotional and physical problems. Daily activities may become overwhelming, and in severe cases, individuals may lose the will to live.
by PENINAH NJOKI
