An estimated quarter of Nigeria’s population has mental health issues. Nigeria has the highest caseload of depression in Africa and ranks 15th in the world for suicide frequency.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates also that fewer than 10% of people with mental illness in Nigeria receive the care they need. Even with these numbers, Mental health is rarely a priority in Nigeria.
Most at times the mental health or state of a person is less frequently checked until it has gone beyond the state of return, at this point only the mental ward(psychiatry ward) can accommodate such cases. This isn’t suppose to be.
The major problem why most Nigerians hardly check their mental health is lack of awareness and probably because of the cost of meeting a therapist. The poor living standard of most Nigerians won’t allow them to even think of their mental health or holding sessions with a therapist.
Mental health challenges are as a result from a root of depression with branches into PTSD, schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, OCD, and so much more. To overcome some of this causes as a Nigerian is difficult owing to the fact of how hard times are now. Most people want to be happy and forget their current situation there by indulging into hard substance intake.
Mental health is a pivotal in a person’s productivity, although it is a widely spread topic online. People still remain in the dark on how to get medical help when they face mental challenges.
Most Nigerians, Illiterate or not, have a low level of knowledge on how to identify mental issues at their early states and because of that, many have also gone to drugs and alcohol as a source of escape.
The government itself has not helped with issues important to the masses such as this especially with the current hardships. Mental health should be something every individual is mindful of, take a break when you can, talk to a friend, vent through writing and art, find emotional support groups.
To friends and family who notice signs and symptoms should always quickly find the right solutions for them.
