#WMHDKE 2012

I was having a conversation the other day with one of my closest friends, about the World Mental Health Day Kenya 2012 event that happened on 13th of October.

My dear friend, who was invested in organizing the event, was feeling a bit discouraged, that the event didn’t have a huge turnout, and as a result, she didn’t think it had made an impact.

I looked at her as she spoke, and I couldn’t help wondering how my friend, my confidant, my mentor, who was always right about so many things, could be so wrong about this.

My friend, #WMHDKE 2012 was a success.

My friend, #WMHDKE 2012 had far greater impact than you would imagine.

My friend, #WMHDKE 2012 got people to do the unspeakable, to speak about mental health.

When it comes to mental health, it takes just one word.

One wrong word could send you spiraling into depression just as fast as one right word could help you fight out of depression.

One word could make you feel like you’re not meant to be just as one word could make you believe that you are who you’re meant to be.

One word could label you crazy and one word could embrace you as different.

One word could resign you to the noose and one word could inspire your faith in another day.

One word could draw the line between life and death in a mind.

One word. That’s all it takes to save a life.

I should know. I’ve been there.

My friend, you may not know this, but you have saved my life more than once with your words.

Now think about all the words that people were inspired to say through #WMHDKE 2012, and imagine how many lives you may have saved.

#WMDHKE 2012 was never about the people who showed up to the Railway club on 13th October.

#WMHDKE 2012 was about the people who heard the mental health message and acknowledged it somehow.

#WMHDKE 2012. Keep talking.