NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — At Kenya ’s largest mental health referral hospital, male patients encounter a different kind of therapy: a personal grooming session provided by two visiting barbers.As their equipment is unpacked, excitement spreads. Patients eagerly take turns sitting in the barber’s chair, looking forward to a haircut.Healthcare workers say personal grooming is an important aspect of recovery, as one sign of mental illness can be a loss of interest in personal hygiene and self-care.Kenya has limited data on the prevalence of mental illness. According to the government’s 2015 Mental Health Policy, an estimated 25% of outpatients and 40% of inpatients in all health facilities experience mental health conditions.Mental health experts say depression and anxiety are among the most common conditions, while substance use disorders remain a major challenge, particularly among men.
June is observed as Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Francis Kabugua, a nursing officer at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital in Nairobi, is encouraging men to speak openly about their struggles instead of turning to alcohol and other substances in an attempt to cope.
“Among the things that you may see a person with depressive disorders is segregating themselves or separating themselves from the members of the family. They start also not providing for the family,” he said.
