Mental illness and the Nigerian populace: Emphasis on the youths

 

Chinwe Ifezulike -Odita

With the recent celebration of 2023 World Mental Health Day ,with the theme ‘’Mental Health is a Universal Right’’. There is an urgent and expedient call for every country, government and their health Institutions to ensure that their citizens, regardless of age, socio-economic class or background, should have access to high quality mental health care and support.

In Nigeria unfortunately, mental health is still being treated with some sort of stigma and discrimination. Mentally challenged people are often abandoned by families and state, to wander the streets at the mercy of the elements, and some of them survive on decayed food fished out of dustbins and refuse dumps. Some of them who still habour some modicum of clarity resort to begging for food or money from the public.

Because mental illness is viewed  with stigma, many families live in denial . Family member suffering from metal illness are often hidden away or taken to spiritual houses to try to get a cure instead of being taken to a psychiatric hospital for proper evaluation and treatment.

The sudden rise recently in the number of youths exhibiting signs of mental illness is a big challenge to parents and the larger society. Propagation of drug use as championed by the marlian cult and the tramadol fever in Northern Nigeria has vastly increased the  number of youths suffering from mental health issues.  The Nigerian  economic situation with the inherent hardship, unemployment especially amongst the youths, laying off of old and young workers,( thereby worsening the unemployment situation), has also brough a lot of frustration to the populace. There has also been an increase in the number of suicides.  All the above made Champion Newspaper to  seek out some young people  to talk on the issues involved.

Random young people spoken to,  blamed societal pressures, harsh economic situation in the country and insensitivity of our political leaders especially the three arms of government- Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. ‘’They don’t give a hoot about us. They only care for themselves lamented George, a secondary school graduate who is hoping to find a job and work a bit, save some money to see himself through university education. George said his mother is the bread winner of the house since his father died in an accident some years ago. Another young person spoken to, Ify, blamed the surge in mental illness recently on social media and television. ‘’We see so many people we would love to be like but no money. Some weak minded youths turn to drugs or prostitution in order to belong. The lifestyle can lead to mental illness.

The world health Organisation (WHO) has declared that mental health is a universal right so champion asked some young medical doctors how this can be achieved.

Dr. Ugochi Chukwumerije, a young female medical doctor practicing in Nigeria,  said ‘’To achieve the goal of making mental health a human rights priority in Nigeria, there are several key  actions that can be taken. She elaborated as follows:Raising awareness and reducing stigma surrounding mental health issues can enable individuals who are experiencing mental challenges to seek  help without fear  of judgement, discrimination or marginalization.

Strengthen Mental healthcare services by increasing investment in mental health infrastructure, providing reliable funding and stipends for mental healthcare providers and expanding the availability of mental care services.

Dr. Chukwumerije  believes that  mental Health care should be promoted via the  human rights- based approach. ‘’Mental healthcare policies should be guided by a human rights based approach with emphasis on ethical and non-discriminatory practices.

She also believes that  access to mental health should be expanded to reach individuals in rural and remote areas of Nigeria. Tele-mental health is a possible solution to this issue.

Government should also address the social and economic inequalities such as poverty, lack of access to education and unemployment opportunities. These are factors that can improve the mental well-being of citizens’’.

She is also optimistic that Encouragement of research and data collection into topics like mental health, prevalence, access to services and identification of mental health determinants is needed for creating evidence-based policies aimed at promoting mental health  and combating mental illness.

Many have pointed accusing fingers on brain drain as a contributory factor to the high rise in mental disorders amongst Nigerian youths. They argue that many qualified and experienced doctors have left  the country for greener pastures in foreign lands thus causing a scarcity of qualified doctors to handle the number of mentally challenged people which the country is producing as a result of the problems already enumerated above.

Doctor Chukwumerije had this to say. ‘’the major issue is that prior to the brain drain of medical professionals in Nigeria, mental health practice has never been a popular subspecialty in Nigeria. This could be due to multiple reasons from religious to socio-cultural factors. While the depletion of human resources in health in recent years has definitely contributed to the sparse number of health practitioners, it is not a singular contributor. There needs to be an infusion of funding into starting and maintaining mental health institutions and training more personnel dedicated to this area. This  must go hand in hand with social and behavioural change modification targeted towards enlightening the public on the importance of mental health.

 

Dr. Chukwuemeka Mbajiorju, a young male doctor, living in Nigeria said that ‘The increasing prevalence of mental health illness, particularly among the Nigerian youth, can  be attributed to a complex interplay of various factors. One key factor is the socio-cultural environment, which has undergone significant changes in recent years, increased academic pressures, societal expectations. Quoting (Twenge & Campbell, 2018) he said that ‘’ the pervasive influence of social media have contributed to heightened stress levels and a sense of inadequacy among young people’’. Again making a reference to McLaughin et al, 2019, he said economic instability and inadequate quality have  been linked to an increased risk of mental health disorder as well, as they can exacerbate stress and limit access to mental health resources.

Dr. Mbajiorgu also  stated that according to (Kendlar et al, 2018) biological factors such as genetics and neurobiology, which according to him, play a role in predisposing individuals to mental health disorders. Furthermore, environmental stressors like trauma, abuse or lack of supportive relationships can contribute to the development of mental health issues.

According to Dr. Kelechi Iwuchukwu, a young female medical doctor who recently relocated to the United Kingdom,‘’Some of the major challenges with mental health care system in Nigeria are :lack of a well structured plan for mental health patients and  the few mental institutions available in the country lack the financial capacity required to sustain  the institution.

‘’Emphasis is on lack of a well structured plan; the treatment plan of most health challenges including diabetes, hypertension, mental health conditions etc does not stop with administration of drugs, rather, a follow up on patient care which includes lifestyle modification, counselling, frequent or occasional monitoring etc. This is because, these conditions have a lifelong effect on individuals health and recovery is usually a gradual process, hence a holistic approach is very  essential in treatment and management. Unfortunately in Nigeria, management plan for mental health patients usually would stop at drug administration or discharge from hospital admissions, these patients are barely followed up’’ .

Dr. Tochukwu Igboekwu, another young female doctor practicing in the United Kingdom, said  the reason why mental health challenges has taken a front stage in our society is multi-factorial. ‘’Society has evolved, the extended family structure where grandparents are involved in caring for children is no longer there. Couples start families without any external support. Another factor is breakdown of marriages, creating single parenthood and sometimes these single parents cannot cope with the challenges of raising the children alone. Also Economic hardship is another factor which results in husband and wife having to work very hard to earn a living thereby having  little or no time for the children they brought forth into the world.. The children are most times left to their own devices or raised solely by househelps, who often times are illiterate and inexperienced.

Dr. Tochukwu also indicated that ‘’People no longer have any moral compass, The fact that people have forgotten God and don’t  believe in a superior being who is in charge of the world and universe. People live their lives without hope. Hope is a very powerful emotion because it propels you into believing that the future will be better..

Dr.  Chukwumerije ,   believes that the government and health agencies in Nigeria can combat the increase in mental health challenges through the following ways:

Educate the public. The government can work with health agencies to launch campaigns to increase awareness and reduce stigma around mental health. This will encourage people to seek help and support.

Train healthcare  professionals;, More trained professionals are needed to provide effective mental healthcare and support. The government can invest in training programs and facilities to attract and retain mental health professionals.

Increase Funding; The government can allocate more funds towards mental health resources, such as facilities, medication, and research.

Improve Access; Access to Mental Healthcare is still a challenge in Nigeria. The government can work to make mental healthcare accessible to everyone, regardless of their location or social status.

Foster Community Support; The government can encourage community groups to provide support groups where people can share their experiences to encourage each other.

Address Social and economic Inequalities; People experiencing social and economic stress maybe at a higher risk of developing Mental health issues. The government can address these inequalities by improving access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

 

 

Dr. Kelechi believes that counselling is very important but unfortunately in Nigeria, we take it for granted. Also if we begin to show empathy, then people will be more open to express their situation and we will be surprised to know that a lot of people are already depressed, and are battling with one mental health condition or the other.

On whether drugs was a contributory factor to the rise of mental illness, amongst Nigerian Youths, Dr. Tochukwu said that even though she could not give any statistics , that yes, drugs alter the mind and  then when the mind is altered, rational thought is non- existent. These drugs are usually addictive so the individuals involved become entrapped in a vicious cycle of addiction. Unfortunately, our  society is unable to help. I think, in Nigeria, there should be regulation of these drugs so that they will not be easily accessible.

On the rising incidence of suicides, particularly among young people, Dr. Ugochi  said it can indeed be seen as an indication of rising mental health challenges.’’ However, its important to recognize that mental health issues can have multiple contributing factors including Economic Stress, High unemployment rate, poverty, financial difficulties etc. All these can lead to or contribute to mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety’’.

She also added that  the pressure to meet certain standards such as academic, professional or familial expectations can create stress and impact mental health.

Pointing out that the conflict and insecurity, violence in certain regions in the country can also lead to trauma and various mental disorders.

‘’Substance abuse is another pointer. Drug and alcohol addiction is often linked to mental health challenges. The abuse of substances can exacerbate existing mental health issues or trigger new ones.

She also  pointed out that social media and technology can impact mental health through cyberbullying, increased social comparison and over-reliance on digital connections rather than in-person relationships’ She advised that it is important to conduct detailed research and analysis to identify the specific factors influencing mental health in Nigeria, as they may differ across regions and populations. This  would allow  for targeted interventions and initiatives to combat mental health challenges effectively.

 

Like Dr. Kelechi explained, ‘’the triggers to having a mental breakdown are so rampant in Nigeria. Prevention is better than cure, and it is here that we need the government’s help the most’’.

In all Champion newspapers advocates that we should help our selves by being  our brothers keepers and care about one another. That way, we are likely to offer help when needed and prevent the untimely deaths of so many youths who unfortunately may carry their huge untapped potentials to an asylum or the grave