Lack of awareness on mental health programs hurting male campus students
Dr. Joseph Mwenda, a counselling psychologist from Egerton University.
“Many young men avoid seeking help for mental health challenges due to a desire to appear strong and avoid being perceived as weak,” Dr. Joseph Mwenda begins.
The counselling psychologist from Egerton University is speaking on why male college students shy away from seeking help when faced with mental health challenges.
In the phone interview, Dr Mwenda notes that a lack of awareness about mental health conditions and available resources also contributes to this reluctance.
According to him, many students do not know where to seek help or how to recognize the signs of mental health conditions.
“Personality traits can obscure the recognition of mental health issues, as outgoing and extroverted students are often assumed to be fine when they might actually need help the most,” Dr Mwenda tells Mtaa Wangu.
The stigma associated with seeking help further deters male students, who fear being labelled as "crazy."
To curb this challenge, Dr. Mwenda notes that the institution has designed different ways of creating awareness.
"As an institution, we have created monthly coffee hours where the students openly discuss issues of mental health for two hours encouraging them to seek help," he says
He adds that the institution has a peer counsellors program where the male students can reach out to them for help for free.
"We have also trained hall officers on basic counselling skills to help a student who might be dealing with mental health issues," he reveals,
Dr. Mwenda urges the male students to understand that mental health is a reality and does not discriminate against even the strongest.
"It's important for male students to have an accountability partner among their peers or a senior person who they trust to help them when troubled," he says.
Benard Kamanda, a counselling psychologist in Nakuru city.
Benard Kamanda, a counselling psychologist, adds that addressing the mental health of male college students requires innovative solutions tailored to the unique issues men face.
He emphasizes the importance of equipping students with coping mechanisms to prevent severe outcomes like suicide.
“Open discussions about mental health and the creation of judgment-free platforms where male students can seek help comfortably should be created,” Kamanda says.
He urges the male students to seek therapy whether on a group or individual level to gain relief from the issues, maintain or enhance daily functioning, and improve their quality of life.