Parental behaviour and Suicide risk

A national survey carried out in 2012 in the United States found that there's a significant link between parental behaviours and thoughts of suicide among adolescents. 

The Daily Nation recently shared an article that looked into this association. The link to the article can be found here. 

                                                                   

                                              Happy reading!

How to control your social media usage

So you have read through the list of indicators to be wary of when determining whether or not social media has been chipping away at your emotional wellness. You have realized that indeed, your usage is affecting your mental and emotional wellness and you want to cut back on your usage but are not sure about how to go about it. Controlling your social media usage is not nearly as impossible as you may expect; the first (HUGE) step is recognizing that your excessive usage is actually affecting your health and happiness. Now that you’ve committed to making a change, below are a few steps you can follow to see yourself through your new goal:

Reach out, offline: Substitute your social media time with face-to-face activities with family and friends who support and care about you. Put down your phone and other devices when you’re with others. Consider expanding your in-person social circles to include people with similar interests.

Tune up your mind and body: Get moving toward something better when you feel a need to hit social media. Exercise. Meditate. Going outside for some fresh air and activity can fire up your muscles and give your mood a positive boost.

Find a new healthy hobby; learn a new skill or language. Of great importance, get some sleep. Chronic social media use wreaks havoc on the normal sleeping patterns which is crucial for good mental health.

Unplug and erase: Take a break from the Internet as a whole to remove the temptation of logging onto your favourite social media platforms. Take social media off your radar by uninstalling apps, removing shortcuts from your home screens and bookmarks from your browsers. This makes getting to social media platforms longer and requires more effort. Sometimes, out of sight, out of mind really does ring true. Set firm boundaries. If you must engage on social media, lay down clear limits in advance for how many times a day, and for how long you will spend online. Steer clear of content and platforms that bring you down or evoke negative responses. Set a timer to help stay on track and be accountable. You may also want to limit your online social interactions to one device.

Get support: Remember, you’re not alone. Reach out to, friends, family, local and national organizations specializing in addiction and mental health. They’re there to help!

Article courtesy of Homewood Health

Social Media usage and your Mental Health

When was the last time you liked or posted something on Facebook? Instagram? When was the last time you tweeted your opinion? Shared an update on Snapchat? Watched a YouTube video? Communicated with friends/family/colleagues on instant message?  Or better yet, when was the last time you used google to fact-check a certain detail?

Was it a week ago? An hour ago? Five minutes ago? Majority of the internet-connected population will admit to having engaged in at least one of the above mentioned social media platforms very recently and are likely to do so again very soon. Thanks to social media, staying connected 24/7 is no longer just a cliche. We’re a mere click away from our friends, families, colleagues, etc. no matter where in the world you are.

An article recently posted on sokodirectory.com claimed that there is an estimated 37.7 million internet users in Kenya today, translating to an internet penetration level of 87.6%. Likewise, a drastic increase in social media usage has been noted in the country in the recent past. Kenyans have always been quick to exploit new inventions with lots of subscription; social media usage in the country ranges from business and marketing of products to personal benefits. According to the Global Stats Counter, between November 2016 and November 2017, the percentage of Kenyans engaging in the different social media platforms is as follows:

Facebook- 72.96%

Twitter- 11.51%

You tube- 11.51%

Pinterest- 8.95%

Reddit- 1.45%

Instagram- 0.95%

Impact of Social Media on your mental health and well-being

Undoubtedly, there are both upsides and downsides to social media. By virtue of being able to connect with others anywhere at any time, a sense/feeling of community is created. Additionally, we now have access to different opinions and information which provides us with a different perspective and allows us to expand our points of view. Some research even suggests that certain platforms may have a positive impact on mental health by providing opportunities for connections that may otherwise not happen. However, there’s a darker side to how social media can affect us, with researchers claiming that the more time you spend on social media, the more likely you are to suffer from mental health issues, especially in children and teenagers. 

This does not go to say that adults are immune; excessive use of social media leads to negative consequences which have been evident in adults as well. If you suspect social media is slowly eating at your emotional wellness, you’re not alone. Healthcare specialists have seen a drastic uptake in patients who feel they’re being adversely affected by their online social activity. As a result, multiple studies have begun to focus on the association between online social networking and a variety of negative feelings and psychiatric disorders. Some of the noticeable concerns lie in the increase in anxiety and depression/depressive symptoms, feelings of inferiority and decreased self-esteem and concentration levels, just to mention a few.

According to Homewood Health, the Canadian leader in mental health and addiction services, here a list of indicators to be wary of when assessing the impact of your social media usage on your mental and emotional well-being:

• Low or decreased self-esteem during or after using social media
• Negatively comparing yourself to others through their social media content
• Repetitively focusing on your own shortcomings or distress while viewing others’ social media feeds
• Frequently feeling envious of others while engaged with social media
• Using social media as your prime leisure activity
• Feeling disconnected from friends and family or not interacting with them in person as often as you normally would
• Decrease in ability to concentrate
• Increased or unusual social anxiety when interacting with people offline
• Feeling a need to share everything you’re doing offline on social media
• Experiencing the negative emotional experience, “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) during or after viewing others’ online activity
• Consciously, consistently using social media as a distraction to avoid or suppress unpleasant emotions
• Irregular or disordered sleeping patterns
• Increase in fatigue and/or stress during or after using social media

Article courtesy of Global stats counter, The Standard, Homewood Health 

Art Therapy

Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

~Pablo Picasso

What is Art therapy?

Art therapy is a specialized area of mental health that uses the creative process of art to improve a person’s physical, emotional and mental well-being. Art therapy can include a mixture of drawing, colouring, painting, sculpting and pretty much everything else you can think of that is artistic, however, music, art, and dance are the main expressions for this variety of therapy. Music therapy can be a mix of playing instruments, listening to music, and singing while dance therapy utilizes dance and movement.

All the activities involved in art therapy are things people love to do as hobbies, therefore, why not use it to better yourself? Endorphins (natural chemicals in the body that fight pain and can also help bring about feelings of euphoria and general well-being) are released into your body when you do an activity you love/enjoy.  For this reason, doesn’t it make sense that this form of therapy has been proven to be effective? I believe it does!

How does Art therapy work?

Art therapists are trained to pick up on nonverbal symbols and concepts that are usually difficult to express with words. It is through creating art and reflecting on your products and the processes that one really begins to see the effects of art therapy and the discoveries that can be made. There’s therefore more to art therapy than simply “drawing your feelings.” Just as your doctor may prescribe medication to aid your physical healing, art therapists are trained to lead people through the creative process in a therapeutic way. You are the expert on your own artwork and creative process, and the art therapist’s role is to facilitate explorations of your work rather than to analyse or interpret it. Your art therapist will offer art-based therapy interventions that are tailored to your needs, and the choice on the specific types of materials to engage in ultimately lies with you.  

Who can use art therapy?

Younger people are less capable of expressing themselves using words than adults. Art therapy can therefore be especially beneficial to them, however, it can also be very helpful to adults. With that said, anyone can use art therapy. From groups or communities to individuals to families to people in all sorts of relationships can use art as therapy. Other forms of communication involve the use of words or language to communicate one’s feelings or emotions, and often times, humans are incapable of expressing themselves within this limited range. Art therapy thus makes it easier for one to express themselves without the added pressure of verbally communicating your thoughts and feelings and without the fear of being verbally misinterpreted. Some of the common uses of art therapy include but are not limited to:

• One who believes they are problem free and would simply like to explore themselves more deeply
• Children or young adults experiencing problems in school
• Someone with learning difficulties or disabilities
• Someone with mental health problems
• People with autism, brain injuries, eating disorders, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, 
• Kids, teenagers, or adults with personal problems

Benefits of Art therapy

• It can help people improve their social skills
• It can help with reducing pain, anxiety, and tension
• It has been shown to be beneficial to people with mental disorders such as bipolar and autism, those suffering from emotional abuse (light or severe), cancer, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), and a variety of other serious ailments.
• Through art therapy, people can increase self-awareness and that of others, increase self-esteem, resolve psychological conflicts, cope with symptoms, stress and traumatic experiences and enhance their cognitive (psychological) abilities

             All in all,the benefits of art therapy can be quite broad and make it worth exploring!

To read about how art therapy can be beneficial in managing anxiety and stress at work, follow this link .

Happy reading!

xxx

Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)

What are hallucinogens?

Hallucinogens are drugs that cause hallucinations. Sometimes referred to as psychedelic drugs, hallucinogens cause severe distortions in the user’s perception of reality. Users experience a ‘dream-like state’ often seeing, hearing, tasting and smelling things that are not there. Examples of hallucinogenic drugs include: Ecstasy, LSD, and Ketamine just to mention a few.

What is HPPD?

HPPD is a condition that results from taking hallucinogenic drugs, usually on a number of occasions.  People who use hallucinogenic drugs like those mentioned above sometimes get flashbacks of the effect of the drug days, weeks or even years after they’ve used it.  For some, the experience of reliving the effects of the drug taken is pleasant, sometimes even pleasurable. For others however, they experience disturbing visual effects such as distorted sizes or colours and bright lights that won’t fade. HPPD presents itself in two types:

• Type 1: people experience HPPD in the form of random, brief flashbacks.
• Type 2: people experience ongoing changes to their vision, which may come and go.

Although it’s still a poorly understood medical condition, it’s not life-threatening. However, effects of this condition on the daily life of users can be very distressing, so much so, that sufferers can end up with mental health issues.  A study conducted by Dr. Henry Abraham, a lecturer in psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine  found that up to 65% of those with HPPD suffer from panic attacks due to their visual changes while up to 50% will be diagnosed with major depression as a result of these people wanting to resume their normal lives but not being able to do so, thus they begin to suffer emotion changes, with some even considering suicide

Risk factors

People using psychedelic drugs recreationally are at risk of experiencing HPPD.

Symptoms

The visual disturbances a person with HPPD may experience include:

• seeing halos or auras around objects
• seeing trails that follow moving objects
• having trouble telling colours apart
• the colour of an object seeming to change in hue
• an object appearing to be moving when it is actually still
• seeing a pattern on an object that others cannot see
• visual snow (seeing snow or static, as you would if you experience poor TV reception)
• the dimensions of an object looking like they are changing

Management and treatment

The following clinical drugs have been found to be effective in the treatment of HPPD symptoms:

• Lamotrigine (antiepileptic, mood-stabilizing medication)
• Clonazepam (tranquilizer)

Other ways to manage symptoms include:

• avoiding illicit drugs
• reducing stress
• treating related conditions, such as anxiety or depression

All in all, occurrence of HPPD is considered to be quite rare and because few people have been diagnosed with HPPD, research on the condition is quite limited.

How Power Outages Can Affect Mental Health

Have you ever wondered the effects power outages can have on your mental health? According to Dr Lin , a professor at the University of Albany,  an increase in mental health events is noted during power outages. She states that "There are many reasons why mental health events increase during power outages, including stress from the shutdown of necessities like food storage, transportation, life support devices and more. It can also increase loneliness and cut people off from one other."  

More information on the effects power outages have on our mental health can be found  here . 

                                                      Happy reading!

How To Set Goals You Will Actually Achieve

The real value of setting goals is not the recognition or the reward, it’s the person we become by finding the discipline, courage and commitment to achieve them

                                                            ~Robin S Sharma

The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them

                                                             ~Og Mandino

Fact: Setting and accomplishing goals isn’t easy. 

If it were, there’d be more Bob collymores, Chris Kirubis and Manu Chandarias  in the world instead of millions of people who feel unfulfilled and overwhelmed. Majority of the time we fail to achieve our goals and more often than not, one of the reasons is that they are not planned out right…or at all for that matter. Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Goals mean nothing if you don’t put effort towards achieving them. Here are a few tips on how to set goals that you will actually achieve:

Figure out your current priorities

If you aren’t sure of what your priorities are, trying to figure them out is a good starting point especially because it will prevent you from setting many unnecessary goals. Prioritizing your goals gives you order and helps you figure out what’s important right now. Once you are clear on your priorities, it becomes a lot easier to visualize the bigger picture. It’s easy to think that the more goals you have, the more successful you will be, but this isn’t necessarily true. You can’t achieve it all. At least not all at once!

Identify your main goals, List and prioritize them

Now that you have a clearer picture on your priorities and what it is you want to achieve, develop goals around it. Where do you see yourself in the coming year(s)? What are your main goals that relate to your bigger picture? Identify and list them based on your priorities.

Determine the action steps

The first step in achieving your goals is to take a moment to respect your goal; know exactly what it means to you to achieve it. What do you need to do right now to make progress toward achieving your main goal? Breakdown your big goals into smaller achievable ones. Aside from making your goal a lot more attainable, this step will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed at the thought of achieving the goals you have set and keep the momentum going. Unfortunately, many people tend to skip this step when setting their goals, but in my opinion this is definitely the most important step.

Give yourself a deadline

You have a goal, but do you know when you want to get it done? It’s important to give yourself a deadline because it will force you to work hard to achieve it. Remember, your goals must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely). This means that you must be very clear on exactly what it is you want to achieve, when you want to have achieved it by, how you intend on achieving it, and how to track your progress towards achieving it. A trick would be to set a deadline sooner than you expect to achieve it. This will make you get to work as quickly as possible. Trust me, nothing will boost your ego and self-esteem more than achieving a goal before the set deadline!

Find an accountability system

What difference will your goals make if you don’t stick to them? Your goals are yours and no one else can accomplish them for you. It's up to you to remain focused and disciplined. If you think it might help, consider sharing your goals with an accountability partner or group of people who will encourage and support you in your process. You may even try to assign consequences in case you don’t push through with your goal. Aside from keeping you on track, this will help you to achieve everything that you put your mind to.

Develop systems and habits to guarantee success

One thing most people seem to forget about is how crucial it is to develop habits or systems that complement your goals and make achieving them a lot easier. It’s important to have habits that work for you rather than against you. If, for example, your goal is to exercise regularly in the morning, try setting aside your workout clothes beside your bed before you sleep.

Surround yourself with inspiration

Even the most determined people need inspiration once in a while. Now that you’ve planned out your goals, surround yourself with things that will constantly keep you inspired.

Reward yourself

Having a reward system is beneficial in at least two aspects: first, you recognize that you did a good job and secondly, you set yourself up to accomplish more since you know you’ll be rewarding yourself after.

Now get out there and smash those goals! Good luck!

Positive Psychology and Benefit Finding

Positive Psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. It focuses on more than just alleviating suffering; It’s founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play. Positive psychology therefore focuses on how to make life worth living.

Most psychological approaches use the deficit model which aims at fixing what is wrong and alleviate suffering. Positive psychology on the other hand aims at building on what is going well and promotes life satisfaction, well-being, joy and happiness.  Benefit finding is the art of looking for benefit in difficult situations. Sometimes, events don’t turn out in the way we had planned them causing us to feel disappointed or even disheartened. Different people react differently to such situations; some let difficult events defeat them while others tend to accept the situation and move on. Resilient people tend to look for benefit out of difficult situations. It can be difficult to find benefit in bad situations, however, like with anything else, practice makes perfect; it becomes easier the more you try.

This years’ theme on World Mental Health Day focused on promoting mental health in the workplace. The mental health and well-being of employees is crucial for the success of any organization. Mental illness can affect anyone, irrespective of age or background, but with adequate support, most people do recover. One known way of promoting positive psychology is through the act of positive reflection. Similar to benefit finding, positive reflection is often done at the end of the day and entails an individual sitting down in a quiet environment, reflecting on the day that has passed and identifying three good things that have come out of it.

“The simple practice of positive reflection creates a real shift in what people think about, and can change how they perceive their work lives. And, as an added benefit, if people share positive events with others, it can boost social bonds and friendships, further reducing workplace stress..” .

To read more on the relationship between positive reflection and good mental well-being especially in the workplace, please read the following article: Documenting three good things could improve your mental well-being at work

Youth in Mental Health Series #5

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Goal: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Without gender equality, we cannot achieve peaceful, prosperous and sustainable societies. Gender equality is therefore not only a human right, but a foundation for sustainable development. If gender inequalities and discrimination is not addressed, it’s IMPOSSIBLE to achieve the sustainable development goals.

Gender inequalities are present in various ways:

Unequal access to economic resources and assets such as land by women – By ensuring equal access to women, substantial contributions can be made towards ending hunger and achieving food security.  According to UNDP, with the same access to productive resources, women could increase agricultural yields on their farms by 20-30%. This in turn increases agricultural output in developing countries by 2.5-4% and subsequently reduces the number of undernourished people by 12-17%. According to UNICEF Kenya’s Humanitarian situation report published at the end of September 2017, 3.4 million Kenyans were food insecure and over 100,000 children were severely malnourished; In accordance with research, food insecurity and malnutrition among Kenyans can be reduced by promoting equal access to economic resources and assets such as land by women. 

Minimum participation of women in decision making- Very few women are involved in decision making processes both at household and national level

Women in the workforce are subjected to unequal pay, opportunities and vulnerable employment- In sub-Saharan Africa, women comprise only 40% of the workforce.

Disproportionate burden of unpaid work- Most women in developing countries spend a lot of time in unpaid work such as child care, fetching water or collecting firewood to be used as fuel in the household. This limits the time they have to go to school, gain new skills or participate in other income generating activities that could increase household income and ultimately improve the family’s living standards. According to UNDP statistics, 103 million youth worldwide lack basic literacy skills, and more than 60% of them are women.

Violence against women- Early and forced marriages, harmful practices e.g. Female genital Mutilation (FGM)

Disproportionate impact of climate change and natural disasters and environmental degradation- women are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than men as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent for their livelihood on natural resources that are threatened by climate change. Those charged with the responsibility to secure water, food and fuel for cooking and heating face the greatest challenges. When coupled with the unequal access to resources and to decision-making processes, limited mobility places women in rural areas in a position where they are disproportionately affected by climate change

SDG 5 at a Glance in Kenya

(As of June 2017)

The decentralization of power created 47 County Governments and this has revolutionized leadership at the lower level, bringing many women into the public leadership space. 

The government has undertaken initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and empowerment of women with the aim of ensuring equal access, control and resource distribution to improve livelihood for the marginalized categories of people, including women, people with disability (PWDs) and other vulnerable groups. There are special catalytic funds dedicated to women, persons with disabilities and the youth for development programs. These include:

·    Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) -provides micro-finance credit and other financial support for women

·    The Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF)-It's aimed at reducing unemployment. It provides credit for young men and women to enable them to establish businesses to earn a living.

·    The Uwezo fund-empowers women, persons with disabilities and youth. The fund gives seed money (upto 5000 USD to one group ) to the special interest groups as start-up capital for businesses. 

·    The Social Protection Fund-It's given as credit and cash transfers to older members of society and people with severe disability. The fund targets senior citizens beyond age 65 years.

·      30% procurement reservation affirmative action to Special Interest Groups (SIG) that include women, persons with disabilities and the youth- The SIG access 30 % value of all all-public procurement tenders to Special Interest Groups.

·         National Government Affirmative Action Fund-established in 2015; It's administered through female members of parliament to run programs targeting socio-empowerment of women, youth, persons with disabilities, children and elderly persons.

3.       Through USAID’s support for gender equality in Kenya:

·         a network of 500 peace advocates has helped more than 8,000 survivors of gender-based violence get support services.

·         26 political parties and more than 2,300 party members and activists are working to increase women’s leadership and participation in governance

·         Empowerment of women- 1.3 million Mothers were tested, counselled and received antiretroviral drugs for prophylaxis to prevent the transmission of HIV

·         More than Ksh 127.5 million ($1.5 million) worth of maternal and child health commodities have been delivered to the Ministry of Health, for distribution to all 47 counties

·         365,000 women farmers are applying new technologies or management practices

·         through a partnership with Coca-Cola, more than 2,500 women entrepreneurs under age 35 have accessed loans.

Article courtesy of UNICEF, UNDP, USAID, UN WomenWatch, Ministry of Planning and Devolution

Time Management

"If you want to become more productive, you need to become a master of your minutes"

                                                        ~Crystal Paine

You may be dealing with an overwhelming list of things you need to do. Or perhaps, you just want to get more time back in your day. Whatever your situation, you are probably worried about time management adding even more to your plate. 

Time management is the process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities with the aim of increasing effectiveness, efficiency or productivity. Time management means staying on top of your time, life, and activities. It shouldn't take your time, rather, it should make extra time for you. Time management should not take extreme effort, however, just like everything worthwhile, time management requires self-discipline. 

Benefits of time management

You as an individual are the main beneficiary of time management. Some of the known benefits of managing your time effectively are: 

1. Less Stress – Managing your time can directly reduce your stress level. Fewer surprises. Fewer tight deadlines. Less rushing from task-to-task and place-to-place.
2. Get More Done – Of course, being productive is one of the main goals of time management. When you are aware of what you need to do, you are able to better manage your workload. You will be able to get more (of the right tasks) done in less time.
3. Less Rework – Being organized results in less rework and mistakes. Forgotten items, details, and instructions lead to extra work. How often do you have to do a task more than once or make an extra trip because you forgot something?
4. Less Life Friction and Problems – Whether it is a forgotten appointment or missed deadline, not managing your time results in increased life friction. Avoid creating your own problems by planning and preparing for your day.
5. More Free Time – We can’t create more time, but you can make better use of it by managing your time.  Simple actions like getting your work done early can produce more leisure time in your life.
6. Less Wasted Time – When you know what you need to do, you waste less time in idle activities. Instead of wondering what you should be doing next, you can already be a step ahead of your work.
7. More Opportunities – Being on top of your time and work produces more opportunities. The early bird always has more options. 
8. Improves Your Reputation – No one is going to question whether you are going to show up, do what you say you are going to do, or meet that deadline; you become reliable.
9. Less Effort – A common misconception is that time management takes extra effort. This is false. Proper time management makes your life easier. Things take LESS effort.
10. More Time Where it Matters – Managing your time means assigning time where it will have the most impact. Time management allows you to spend your time on the things that matter most to you.

With that said, here are 10 tips to better manage your time:

1. Keep It Simple – Keep your time management setup to the simplest possible.
2. Clean Work space – Less clutter results in more room for productivity. Clean up your work space to give yourself more space to do actual work.
3. Make a List – many individuals go through their day without a list of the things they need to do. Making a list lets you get an overview of all the tasks on your plate. As well, it frees up your brain to concentrate on the work at hand.
4. Plan Your Day – Planning out your day and listing the tasks you need to get through saves you a lot of time later in your day. As little as 5 minutes of reviewing your calendar and to-do list will avoid much self-inflicted stress and life friction.
5. Start Early – The early bird does get the worm. If you are just starting out with your time management, get started early… before the rest of the world does. The early morning hours can be some of the most productive and will allow you to get your most important work done before others are even awake.
6. Make Appointments with Your Work – Even small tasks require time allocated to them. Don’t let your day’s events make you neglect your planned out tasks. Instead, prioritize your most important tasks and get started on them first.
7. Control your Technology – Technology can be a wonderful tool that will allow you to get more work done. However, it can also be a big distraction and take time away from your day. Remember that your phone and other gadgets are there for your convenience… not other people’s. Turn off the notifications, and by all means, don't answer your phone if you are busy (unless you find yourself in unavoidable circumstances)
8. Stop multitasking- No one can truly focus on multiple tasks at once. Doing something well demands focus and single-tasking is the only way to achieve that focus. Moreover, single-tasking allows you to maintain that focus through to the next task because your mind is clear. Does texting while driving make for a good outcome? Absolutely not!
9. Be accountable- Speak openly about your goals and objectives, that way you become accountable to others. 
10. Practice Saying No – You can’t do it all. No one can. Time management is not just task oriented; it it also people oriented. You cannot be a master at everything. Learn to delegate tasks by utilizing other people's strengths and capabilities. . Finally, be decisive and make the hard choices on how you will spend your time. Saying no to pointless commitments can recapture valuable time which will improve your productivity.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the act of living in the present. Many of us go through life on autopilot. We focus too much on our thoughts and this can lead to a state of unhappiness. By living in the present, you will realize that many causes of our stress and anxiety are unnecessary and can be avoided.

Here are a few steps on how to practice mindfulness in our day to day lives:

Mindful walking

Mindful walking brings you into the present moment free of expectations and worry and can be practiced in your daily life by doing the following:

Rhythm- align your walking to the rhythm of your breath .i.e. lifting your foot when you inhale and lowering it as you exhale. Practice indoors until you feel confident enough to do it outside

Be aware- What’s going on around you?  What can you hear, taste, smell? What is your body doing? - are you feeling any soreness or tightness in the muscles? Don’t be quick to judge or label the sensations

Mindful breathing

Breathing mindfully brings you into the present moment, enabling you to cultivate a calmness of the mind.  You can practice mindful breathing by doing the following:

Get comfortable- Sit in a relaxed position, with your back straight. What sensations can you feel?

Observe your breath- Simply observe the natural flow of your breath-in and out, in and out. Notice the expansion of your stomach with each intake. How does it feel?

Be non-critical- The aim is to focus your mind on breathing. Don’t be critical if your mind wanders off a thousand times. Whenever you notice, bring your focus back to your breathing.

Mindful eating

Mindful eating helps us focus our awareness on the simple act of nourishment and by so doing, we cultivate a fresh appreciation for food and the environment around us.  You can practice mindful eating by doing the following:

Take stock- Take a look at your eating habits. Do you rush your meals? Do you eat lunch while doing other things or with a hundred thoughts on your mind? Do you ever notice the taste sensations exploding on your palate or does it just pass you by unnoticed?

Organization- When eating, make sure you focus solely on the experience. Don’t work as you eat, use your phone or watch television. Just let it be you, your food and the present moment.

Be sensitive-Use and observe your senses as you eat. Take a moment to feel the texture; be aware of smells and appearance. Notice how different tastes affect you. Acknowledge your responses- likes, dislikes and indifference

Mindful attitude

It takes time to develop a mindful attitude, however the cultivation of mindful habits such as walking, eating and breathing create the grounds from which a truly mindful attitude emerges. Aspects of a mindful attitude include:

Non judgement- Part of developing a mindful attitude is by learning not to judge everything. Where there is a genuine need for a judgement, the mind is clear and the judgement wiser.

Patience-Mindfulness isn’t something that comes from being intellectually aware of the idea. We need to practice the art of being in the moment every day and this will require patience

Non-striving-By constantly desiring things, we set ourselves up for disappointment; we create an almost permanent state of dissatisfaction thus there is no purpose to mindfulness, nothing to expect and nothing to achieve.

Letting go- Avoid clinging onto experiences as this can cause us to get stuck and clutter our minds. Allow experiences to come and go naturally. This also means letting go of the idea of mindfulness.

Youth in Mental Health Series #4

SDG 4: Quality Education

Goal: Ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all

Education is the key to success and that which will enable other SDGs to be achieved. Through education, most people are able to mitigate the challenges faced in life and break the cycle of poverty. Education therefore not only reduces inequalities, but also empowers people to live healthier and more sustainable lives. The knowledge that is attained through education helps open doors to a lot of opportunities and is crucial to fostering tolerance between people which contributes to more peaceful societies.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the largest number of children out of school worldwide with more than half of the children living in SSA not enrolled for school. Out of this proportion, women and girls have a harder time accessing education compared to their male counterparts. Girls still face barriers to entering both primary and secondary school and as a result, these disadvantages in education translate into lack of access to skills and limited opportunities in the labour market for young women. According to UNESCO, the percentage of out-of-school children among primary-school-age children declined from 40% to 22% in SSA between 2000 and 2012, however, despite this improvement, studies show that many children do not acquire the basic reading and mathematical skills with fewer than half of the students completing primary education attaining the minimum proficiency levels in maths and reading. Lack of trained teachers and the poor conditions of schools in many parts of the world especially in developing countries greatly affect the quality of education. 

There is need to advocate for governments to place education as a priority in both policy and practice and commit to providing free primary school education to all including vulnerable and marginalized groups. More investments are needed for resources that will be used to improve the conditions of schools in developing countries.

SDG 4 at a Glance in Kenya

Interventions (As of June 2017)

1.       The teachers service commission (TSC) has employed more teachers and this has improved the teacher-student and teacher-pupil ratio

2.       The implementation of the Digital Literacy Programme (ICT Integration in Primary Education). This programme aims to integrate ICT into teaching and learning for pupils in primary schools. In 2014, data from 65 developing countries showed that the average percentage of schools with access to computers and the Internet for teaching purposes is less than 40 per cent in more than half of sub-Saharan countries.

3.       Kenya introduced the re-entry policy in 1994; in 2009, the Ministry of Education (MOE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation launched the National School Health Policy (NSHP). Both documents address dropout cases of young mothers who conceived while in school;

4.       Upscaling of the sanitary towels programme which enhance girls’ participation in learning. The amendment to the education act states “free, sufficient and quality sanitary towels" must be provided to every girl registered at school.

5.       Introduction of a Bursary Scheme to assist selected secondary school students.

6.       The Ministry of Education recently launched a policy on Education for Sustainable Development at all levels with them aim of improving access to quality education on sustainable development at all levels and in all social contexts, transforming society by reorienting education and helping people develop the knowledge, skills, values and behaviours needed for sustainable development

7.       Universities have held public lectures involving stakeholders on various issues related to SDGs and are attempting to modify curricula to reflect benefit to society

Article courtesy of UNDP, UNESCO

Youth in Mental Health Series #3

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

Goal: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages

Good health and development go hand in hand. Healthy people are more likely to contribute to the social, economic and political development of their communities, whereas morbidity (illness) and mortality negatively affect economic growth and productivity. Good health is essential in ensuring economic and social development and poverty reduction is sustained. 

Conflicts, prolonged crises and health shocks increase health risks for people, including in countries that lack resilient systems for health. The Ebola crisis in West Africa is a good example of how the absence of a functional health system can cause the rapid spread of an epidemic and pose huge problems. In addition, inequalities and social exclusion driven by stigma, discrimination and marginalization just to mention a few limit people’s access to basic services and increase health risks. According to the World Bank, climate change could result in more than 100 million additional people living in poverty by 2030 and increased susceptibility to health risks.

Access to the needed health services is crucial for maintaining and improving health. On the other hand, services need to be affordable to all in order to protect people from being driven into poverty due to the high costs of healthcare (Every year 1 million Kenyans are driven below the poverty line by healthcare related expenditures) .Based on the above, the concept of Universal Health Coverage was developed.

Universal Health coverage(UHC)

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines UHC as “ensuring that all people have access to the needed promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that people do not suffer financial hardship when paying for these services.” UHC is therefore a global priority objective for WHO and a major goal for reform in many other countries.

Kenya reviewed the national health insurance scheme to include everyone capable of paying premiums rather than those in formal employment only. This raised more money for healthcare services and shifted the burden of healthcare costs from the individual to the collective, however, four out of every five Kenyans still lack access to medical insurance. There is therefore need for the country to adopt more innovative ways of financing its healthcare system. 

Currently, countries with universal health care include:

Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,Ireland, Italy,Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova,the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia,Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

SDG 3 at a glance in Kenya

As of June 2017:

1.       Maternal mortality ratio and infant and under 5 mortality ratio remain high at 362/100,000 (362 deaths per 100,000 live births), 39/1000 live births (39 deaths per 1000 live births) and 52/1000 live births (52 deaths per 1000 live births) respectively.

SDG targets: Reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70,000 deaths per 100,000 live births and end preventable deaths of new-borns and children under 5.

2.       Malaria incidence is 225 per 1000 population. (Incidence is a measure of the probability of disease occurring in a population within a specified time period).

The WHO global technical strategy for Malaria (2016-2030) set a target of reducing malaria case incidence by at least 90% by 2030.

Current interventions addressing mortality rates and Malaria incidence

• Exclusive breast feeding campaigns in the country and introduction of supplemental foods is geared towards reducing mortality rates
• Mass distribution of Long Lasting Insecticidal Mosquito nets has reduced the incidence of Malaria especially among Lake Region communities

Other interventions

•      The Beyond Zero Campaign: An Initiative by H.E. the First Lady, Mrs. Margaret Kenyatta. Mobile clinics have been delivered to all county referral hospitals. The mobile clinics have been able to treat mothers and children who would otherwise have been obliged to walk miles to seek treatment.
• ·         Mother waiting home (KIROR): An initiative of the West Pokot County Government. Expectant mothers move to KIROR near a health facility a few days to their expected day of delivery and are monitored during labour by the health personnel at the health facility thereby reducing congestion at the health facility while at the same time getting prompt services of a qualified personnel during delivery.

Article courtesy of: WHO, Ministry of Planning and Devolution, UNDP, IPS