Urgently act on raging disaster of youth depression

Stressed teenager

Stress and depression are real among the youth, including teenagers in primary and secondary schools. 

Photo credit: Pool

Depression cases among the youth have steadily increased over the years. Suicides, crimes of passion, femicides and gender-based violence point to a worrying trend. The debilitating crisis calls for concerted efforts to mitigate it lest we lose an entire generation.

They are bombarded by an avalanche of challenges that constantly leaves them on the verge of giving up. The pressure that society piles on them, more so on males, makes a bad situation worse.

First, the curse of joblessness amid devastating economic times has left many youths caught between a rock and a hard place. Still etched on our memory is the story of a father who poisoned his four children before committing suicide. He was allegedly battling the turmoil after a sudden job loss.

Unemployed youths

This is just the tip of the iceberg. The number of educated unemployed youths is on an upward trajectory. Colleges are releasing graduates into the ever-shrinking job market and, with the economy on its knees, most are left feeling insufficient and disenfranchised.

The youth must not continue to languish in this quagmire forever. They should explore their talents, venture into entrepreneurship or seek useful experience through internships and volunteering to complement government initiatives.

Secondly, toxic relationships are taking a heavy toll on youth. Relationships are no longer considered sacrosanct; youth are getting entangled in toxic ‘situationships’. Young women get involved with old men for financial favours as young men seek much older women.

Toxifies their soul

These transactional sexual engagements expose them to sexually transmitted diseases and toxifies their soul. The basic unit of the society is almost disintegrated.  And when things go south and the relationship hits a dead end, they are left frustrated and depressed. We need to go back to the drawing board and establish when the water started beating us. Relationships must be genuine and aimed at marriage and lasting companionship, not survival or ‘fun’.

Drug and alcohol abuse is yet another ticking time bomb. Many young people are abusing drugs with abandon. That makes them depart from their true north and wallow in a deep abyss of mediocrity and hopelessness. Most who get caught up in this quagmire are shamed by the society and end up developing depressive tendencies.

Young people must shun reckless lifestyles and intentionally develop a tremendous character that will enable them to have a successful future.

To achieve optimal mental health, one must get enough uninterrupted sleep, eat well, exercise regularly and appreciate life without comparing themselves to others on social media. The government should also establish rescue centres to rehabilitate drug addicts and those recuperating from depressive disorders.

That is the only way to make our nation prosper.

Mr Mwirichia is a high school teacher. [email protected].