Sabrina Lawson -Tuakli and Iffy Iwuoha
Life in Nigeria has been traumatic for many for several years even before the present incidence of insecurity and brutal violence which has become the order of the day.
The declining economic environment has left millions of Nigerians unemployed, not sure of their next meal and battling with high cost of living which has left many with psychological distress leading to constant anxiety, burnout, depression, sleeping disorder, and other illnesses even suicide.
Mental health illness, a reality that has ravaged our society since long, though oftentimes not recognised as physical health issues has become a silent killer and destroyer of many lives.
Mental health disorder is a disease that causes mild to severe disturbances in a person’s behaviour, mood or thought process. Usually, this results in an inability to cope with daily routines, to relate with others or function properly. Most people feel that mental disorders are rare, and would not happen to them or members of their family. This is largely false! Mental Health illnesses are very common. It’s been estimated that 80% of individuals with serious mental health needs in Nigeria cannot access care.
According to a study title “Mental Health in Nigeria: A Neglected Issue in Public Health”, a survey was conducted and the results show that Nigerians, though aware of the existence of different mental health disorders, have very little awareness of mental health as a condition.
According to WHO, Mental Health is a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her abilities, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make contributions to his or her community.
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. So protecting one’s mental health should be high priority not only in times of crisis, but on an ongoing basis.
In Nigeria, just like in many other countries, mental health which is an important part of health and well-being has been neglected, almost not associated as reality. Worse still the majority of those who need mental health care globally, do not receive treatment or care.
Despite this glaring reality, measures implemented by public health organisations appear weak and inconsequential, lacking drive and power to manage the stigma of poor mental health, not to mention curbing it from the foundation.
Surviving or maintaining a good mental health in Nigeria is commendable as the economy strains largely on the individual and community in general, thus one’s ability to protect his mental health depends solely on conscious individual prowess and practice, given to the fact that, people are born with different thresholds and resistance to stress and therefore there is only so much every individual can take.
The burden for mental health disorder is very high with limited access to available or affordable mental health services in the country. Nigeria with a population of over 190 million is unequipped with the aid needed to prevent, treat or care for patients with mental health issues.
According to WHO statistics, depression being one of the pathways to an unhealthy mental wellbeing is a major problem with the prevalence of 4.4% in the global population, 5.4% in the African region and has been estimated to be 3.1% in Nigeria.
Regardless of the shortfall in identifying mental health as a major dilemma, and the strained degree of awareness associated with its existence in Nigeria, some or all of these recommendations can be adhered to, as possible solutions to improve the mental health status in Nigeria.
Before a problem can be tackled there is need for knowledge of the problem, that is, a proper study of the subject matter. Nigerians need to be aware of different kinds of mental health disorders, hence proper education is required.
Another recommendation is the training of human resource. Medical personnel should be properly trained to identify, address and manage issues of mental health, and this can be achieved by increasing the number of professionals in psychiatry and mental health support professionals, and further exposing them to training.
Furthermore, investigation in mental health care can be drastically improved. Such finding can be used to integrate the mental health care system into the existing health and social protection programs and protocols.
Creating mental health awareness is not substantial enough, it is also important to work on the research and development of mental health services in Nigeria, as this will avail our medical department a plethora of case studies to understudy and gain better knowledge from.
As Nigeria’s public health sector continues to develop, the aim should shift to embracing global technologies and advancement and the use of basic equipment that will aid to meet the needs of mentally challenged individuals.
As individuals, we ought to, despite the situations in Nigeria, take full responsibility and care to protect ourselves jealously from situations that can affect our wellbeing, eat properly, rest when it is required, meditate and share problems instead of bottling them up, thereby accumulating more stress for oneself.
