Appreciate what you have and focus on where you want to be, then you can overcome depression.Learn to love yourself and accept yourself the way you are, because you are unique and extraordinary just the way you are.

By  Bangua Faith

Do not be afraid to share your thoughts and feelings because relieving them is a way of overcoming anxiety and depression.

by Bangua Faith

courtesy of sound cloud podcasts

Hey, allow me to demystify some of the preconceived notions you had about mental health. If you're not to educated on the subject, the preconceived notion is that when we're discussing mental health, is that we're looking or talking about people who've gone crazy due to drugs or a disease. Yes, those do lie in the mental health category, but mental health is a little broader. You see that uncle that stopped showing up for all family functions and eventually completely withdrew from the rest of world and just left you wondering what could've happened to him? Or the neighbor's daughter who jumped off that building in town? A story I'm sure the entire neighborhood keeps talking about. Or your classmate whom you just noticed has quite a number of scars on her arm, cut marks if I may be more specific. Yeah, those too are part of the mental health family. You may think it'll never happen to you, I mean I pray it never does, but with the amount of stigma around mental health, all so often it can creep on you and eat you up when you least expected it. For this article, I will be looking at depression. That stands right now as the most common yet still ignored mental illness. With that being said, allow us to introduce you to depression. Depression wears a smile too. She might have the biggest smile of all that masks all the pain. The pain so deep that not even the loudest growl or scream could interpret. A pain so deep that words will almost never do it justice. A pain that leaves one with only one choice to mask it with a smile. Depression wears a smile too. She wears is because she is convinced that no one would be able to understand her and that is what she convinces all her victims. She wears the smile because she is convinced that she is a problem so minute, it'll only reflect ungratefulness. Depression wears a smile too. Fearing rejection, she wears a smile in order to fit in. Afraid to lose friends and family, depression wears a mask to keep them close. So scared that she might infect her loved ones, she wears a smile. Because even she knows that no one deserves that kind of burden. Depression smiles too, so when you see her trying to camouflage either amongst your loved ones, or you. Attack her! It may not be to noticable, she creeps in with the little things. Don't let her fool you, because depression too wears a smile. By Mairu

No longer alone - A youth mental health story

Watch how Zakari, 16, was helped by the Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center's youth partial hospitalization program through a whole-person care approach. This youth mental health documentary was featured during the 2018 "Seeds of Hope" event that provided hope for individuals struggling with mentalhealth. Source: LLU (Loma Linda University Youtube channel)

Mental health in the times of COVID-19

The uncertainty brought about by the virus, be it in terms of health, your financial situation or even the world as a whole, can have an impact on your mental well-being. There are those normal or natural (typical) immediate reactions that people experience following a threatening situation. It could be feelings such as fear, anxiety, denial, preoccupation with the repercussions of the epidemic, intrusive thoughts, feeling not in control, helpless or hopeless, blaming self or others and loneliness in this case due to social isolation. These if allowed to be overwhelming can be draining. This is why To guard our mental health, we recommend a few practical tips: * Develop a positive mindset and take ONLY CREDIBLE sources of information. Don’t consume too much data and hold strongly on to the information from unreliable sources. * Make a conscious choice not to allow the anxiety and all related negative emotions, thoughts, and behaviors to consume you but focus more on overcoming the virus. Respect the regulations, wash hands frequently and #StayHome. Be responsible for yourself and others. And while we have some cases of recovery in some parts of the world, which hence gives us hope that the virus might be managed if the right decisions and correct measures are put into places and respected; we need to come out with better health, resilience, strengthened inner resources of confidence, courage, determination, and the resolve to survive the virus. As Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Global CEO Amref Health Africa put it well: learn from animals, that hibernate during harsh times. They hibernate to survive - remain inactive. Greatly slowing their metabolism and reducing their body temperature for days, weeks or even months at a time.

By Celeste Impundu

Our Social Media Handles

Social Media Handles

Get in touch with us through the various social media platforms, like and follow us to be informed on mental health and be encouraged, inspired and motivated.

https://twitter.com/pamojafoundati2

https://www.facebook.com/pamojafoundation.KE/?modal=admin_todo_tour

https://www.instagram.com/pamoja_foundation/

 #empathy

 #compassion

 #PamojaMentalHealthFoundation

By Bangua Faith

MENTAL HEALTH SHORT FILM

Cast: Rebecca K, Keren M. Script: Celeste I. Shooting: Apollo G., Faye B and Rebecca K.

Mental Health is important in everyone's life, and the way to achieve it is through a good support system. That is, friends, family,colleagues and the community as whole. Life is full of challenges and you can not overcome them all by yourself. That is why, Pamoja Mental Health Foundation is here to guide you through the importance of mental health and how to take care of it, because with compassion and Togetherness we can battle issues like depression and suicide.

            Life is all about the choices we make. You can choose to live and keep pushing through a day at a time,  but what happens when you look around and see no reason to keep pushing through? What happens when nothing makes sense anymore and you lose psyche to keep trying? When you feel misunderstood? When you feel like a waste of space?

          Through breaking the stigma around mental health, Pamoja Mental Health Foundation takes an educative approach to educate people about the type of mental health issues existing in our society. Not only that, we have also partnered with the counseling center in USIU-A to provide counseling services and workshops on campus in order to encourage university students to take care of their mental health for the betterment of their learning and life in general. Before you make that final decision, come and see us. TOGETHER WE CAN!

Visit our social media pages for more information or our offices at the Incubation center in The student center block 3rd floor.

#compassion#empathy

#togetherness#PamojaMentalHealthFoundation

By Bangua Faith

If no one has told you today:

🌻 I’m so proud of you

🌻 Just concentrate on your breathing, it will be okay

🌻 You deserve happiness

🌻 You are not your mental illness

🌻 You deserve to recover

🌻 I’m super proud of you

🌻 I love you

🌻 If I could, I would hug each and every one of you

🌻 Please eat something today and make sure to drink some water. If you are tired, take a nap

🌻 Please look after yourself

🌻 You deserve love

It doesn’t make you unlovable or a horrible person if you don’t have many friends. It can be difficult to meet new people if you’re shy or quiet or have anxiety. It can be difficult to stay in touch with people if you can’t find the time or energy to remain in contact. It can be difficult to make new friends if you struggle to find people you click with or who are interested in the same things as you. None of those things mean you’re unlovable. 

let’s treat ourselves more gently. let’s go to bed early. let’s rest when we need to. let’s live life in a way that doesn’t make you feel burnt out after a few weeks. i want us to have fun, to enjoy everyday life, to be present and not to always push ourselves to the last limit. challenge yourself but also treat yourself with love. okay?