A consultant neuropsychiatrist, Dr Maymunah Kadiri, on Monday urged Nigerians to take their mental health seriously. Kadiri, the Medical Director, Pinnacle Medical Services, Lagos, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that there was no immunity to mental illness.
Mental health disorder is characterised by a persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.
She said in spite of the various breakthroughs in the field of science, no vaccine could prevent mental health-related problems.
According to her, every Nigerian and indeed all humans are prone to mental illness because there is no immunity to mental illness.
Kadiri cautioned that symptoms such as prolonged days of sleeplessness, depression, stress, lack of happiness, sudden loss of interest, anxiety disorders and low energy level might signal mental health problems.
She lamented that Nigerian society was a culture medium for organisms that put people at risk of mental illness.
Kadiri noted that about 64 million Nigerians had one form of depression or the other.
“Research has shown that one out of four Nigerians will have a mental health-related problem in their lifetime. “Unfortunately, we are dealing with a lot of issues in the country; businesses are falling, things are expensive, cash is hard to come by and the basic amenities are lacking.”
“This is taking a toll on the mental health of Nigerians; it makes people vulnerable to becoming suicidal, aggressive, violent, undisciplined, corrupt and other anti-social behaviours.”
“The statistics may not be there, but in my observations, people are bottling up their emotions and challenges, instead of speaking out or seeking medical attention,” she said.
According to her, in some cases, individuals may not even know they are facing challenges and this is where family support comes in, to help identify the problem and to seek help.
Kadiri decried the stigmatisation and low awareness of mental health in Nigerian society, describing them as setbacks to the development and prioritisation of mental health.
“Mental health awareness in Nigeria is very low, making it difficult for people to access health care or get diagnosed or even acknowledge the fact that they may be suffering some kind of mental health issue.”
“When a typical Nigerian hears the word ‘mental illness’ his or her first thought would be madness or some sort of aggressive behaviour.”
“But no, mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions-disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behaviours,” she said.