Mental disorder can be called in various hospitals with different names such as psychiatric disorder, psychological disorder or mental illness.
It simply boils down to one meaning- a pattern of behavioral or psychological symptoms that impact multiple life areas and create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms.
There are more than 150 mental illness, but most of them can be classified into the following categories
- Eating disorders,
- Mood disorders,
- Somatoform disorders,
- Sleep disorders,
- Anxiety disorders
- Personality disorders
Causes of mental illness
A wide range of conditions that affect mood, thinking and behaviour.
Mental illnesses, in general, are considered to be originated from a variety of genetic and environmental factors:
- Hereditary attributes. Mental illness is more frequent in people whose blood relatives also suffer from it. Certain genes can increase the risk of contracting a mental illness and the life situation in particular can trigger it.
- Environmental exposure before birth. Exposure to environmental stress factors, inflammatory diseases, toxins, drugs or alcohol in the womb may be associated, in some cases, with mental illness.
- Chemistry of the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are found naturally in the brain and transmit signals to other parts of the brain and body. When the neural networks containing these chemicals are altered, the function of nerve receptors and nervous systems changes, which leads to depression.
Some of the disorders can be treated while other can only be controlled.
In Kenya, there are a good number of cases related to this phenomena which has affected all and sundry.
We look at some of the celebs who have suffered mental illness
1.Conjestina Achieng’
World boxing champion has been in and off Mathare Mental Hospital after she suffered memory lapse.
During her condition, she is known to do weird stuff such as hurling unprintable words as well as boxing people around.
2.Comedian late Emmanuel Makori
Former Churchil show comedian Makori was in 2014 declared mad after he was seen battling with a dirty sack wrapped around his head.
Unfortunately he died in 2017 after a freak accident in Nairobi.
3.Quincy Timberlake
Quicy was found insane by Australian authorities before he was sent to Brisbane Prince Charles Mental Health Hospital.
Quicy also was accused of killing own 3 year old son with TV girl Esther Arunga.
4.Paul Kobia
Paul Kobia was found insane by police after he was arrested few days claiming that he was responsible for the death of Fidel Odinga.
He also had similar bizarre incidents like shooting dead a theif who snatched his Galaxy Note 4 Phone valued at 74K around Parklands.
Kobia also bragged on how he had mobilized more than 20,000 youths to kill Boni Khalwale for disrespecting President Uhuru Kenyatta
5.Sokoro
The Mombasa based rapper suffered heroine addiction before going completely mad. He was spotted living in Magongo primary school compound after he converted it into ‘home’
7.VBO Strong
His most famed track with Bobby Mapesa was the ‘Naskia Utamu’ thing. He was however taken to streets by drug addiction.
VBO strong condition never worked in a drug rehab camp like Bobby Mapesa, he was referred to a mental health center
8.JB Masanduku
Churchill show comedian also suffered mental disorders related to drug addiction.
Masanduku luckily worked his way through rehab.
9.Bonoko
Former street urchin and trader who landed a radio job through a hilarious eye witness account, was reported to have initially suffered from mental problems.
Bonoko however was taken through rehab and fortunately did well.
10.MC Tricky
Comedian MC Trick who features on NTV comedy show Churchill Show also is another victim related to mental problems.
Due to his drug addiction like glue sniffing, he at one point had mental illness.
He has eve though aborted drugs and now a very reformed man
