DON’T PUT A STIGMA ON MENTAL HEALTH

Speakers: Dr Dorothy Jeff- Nnamani, Mr Nnamdi J Okonkwo, Dr Maymuna Kadiri, Lanre Olusoal, Funmi Oyetunji, Ego Boyo

Today I attended an event on Mental Health Issues in Nigeria organised by Novo Health and their partners. It was an interesting morning hearing from several speakers in different fields.  Here are my summary notes.

STIGMATIZATION surrounding mental health is very high in Nigeria and often comes from friends and family. Back in the 70’s, Nigerians did not openly discuss cancer and they do today. There is also hope that Mental Health will also be less of a stigma. 

Three common stigmas surrounding mental health include the following:

   It’s dangerous

   Only weak people have mental health

     People don’t want to be labelled or called crazy

Perfect health is a complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing. When a person has strong mental state, they can work productively and are able to make a fruitful contribution to society. Ignorance builds stigmatization.

How to approach someone with mental illness?

A – Approach. Find the right place & time

L – Listen non-judgementally and give support

E- Encourage professional help. Get them to seek counselling

FACTORS THAT LEAD TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

BULLYING

Parents needs to be attentive to the emotional and mental well-being of their children. Bullying causes mental stress. There should be a policy in school to prevent bullying.

LONG WORKING HOURS

There should be good workplace culture which lessens mental stress. Long hours are killing our people and leads to breakdown and at worse heart attacks. In organisations, proper design and management of work needs to be in place. Also proactively anticipate train & prepare staff for shocks in a rapidly changing environment through contingency planning. Institutionalize HSE products.

DEPRESSION

Depression is a form of mental stress. Key Signs of Depression include not being happy, low energy, loss of interest in things for 2 weeks, not sleeping, over sleeping, not eating, over eating, poor concentration, low fatigue

Extreme signs include Hearing voices, Feeling hopeless, Worthlessness

Depression can be a cause of hormonal imbalance. Not everyone needs medication. Some will only require counselling & therapy

Strategies that can help beat depression include eating healthy, exercise, praying, laughter, fun, rest and sleep. The average Nigerian workers does not get enough sleep. Mental Health can lead to suicide in extreme cases.

Worldwide: Every 40 seconds someone is committing suicide

RECESSION

During a recession mental stress is increased. The following may be common:

Increase drugs intake, Sleep related issues, Sexual dysfunction

Inability to cope with life challenges, Outburst of anger, Not happy

Strategies to cope:

Set Realistic Goals

Enhance and maximum your skills/ craft

Collaboration

In Nigeria High Risk Factors that lead to mental health issues include: sexual abuse, dysfunctional home, violence, divorce, mother died before 11, You have 3 children below 14, unemployed, no confidence in husband

MONEY AND MENTAL EMOTIONS

There’s a coloration between money & emotions. It reveals your inner conflict and emotions. If you list 10 things that are important to you, you will discover than money is needed for some of them. It times of recession, if you cant afford it, you don’t need it. If you cant manage your emotions, you cant manage your money.

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY AND MENTAL ISSUES

Mental challenges are common in the entertainment industry. Celebrities are sought after and dropped. Competition is fierce and tough. Celebrities are more likely to be depressed, binge drinkers, suicidal, addicted to prescription drugs and hard drugs.

RETIREMENT

Even during the recession, you need to make plans for retirement as a lack of planning can cause mental health issues. Use early opportunities. Your perks in employment wont last forever. Take responsibility. Spend less than you need. Seek profitable ventures. Be careful how you borrow.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, mental issues are like any other health disorder that needs medical assistance. It should never be a taboo. Show more empathy to those who need help.

For more information contact

Mental Health Networking

Nova Health Africa

0817460486

Pamelan@novohealthafrica.org