In the midst of a health crisis taking over the world, less and less attention has been paid to people’s mental health. While avoiding a global pandemic is surely more important than being happy on a day-to-day basis, this does not mean that we should throw away our mental well-being. In this article, we cover the latest trends of depression in Nigeria, along with some ways we can try and stave it off from ourselves. Depression is killing more people each year, the only way we can fight this is by removing the stigma and making it okay for people to seek help.
The Stats
As it stands, Nigeria is ranked 15th in the world for suicide. This is not a pleasant thought or statistic, but it is not one we cannot ignore. Depression is a major problem amongst Nigerians and with negative stigma and lack of medical intervention, depression is cycling out of control.
Depression aside from the moment, the World Health Organization puts the numbers as 1 in 5 Nigerians are struggling with mental health lapse or mental illness. The number of people in mental crisis is alarming but is only made worse when we consider that there are only 150 registered psychiatrists in the whole of the country. That’s 1.3milion members of public per psychiatrist.
Assuming that 1 in 5 Nigerians do suffer from mental health issues that should have medical intervention, that is over a quarter of a million patients for each psychiatrist. It becomes obvious that due to not only these time constraints but financial and location issues, more people go without the medical intervention they so desperately need.
Financial Deficit
The lack of medical assistance is in no small part due to a financial deficit. When a psychiatrist does not get paid, can you blame them for seeking work elsewhere, predominantly out of country, or for playing online casino games instead of working. Until sufficient funds are dedicated to actually helping with the mental health plague sweeping across Nigeria, there is likely to be little to no change.
What You Can Do
Involving depression, what you can do to help is a difficult topic. Some people suffer from depression from being stuck in monotony and other physical struggles, while with other people it is just unavoidable and literally an illness that requires medical treatment to be stabilized. There is no one solution to fix depression for everybody, mental illness always required to be handled on a case-to-case basis and no two cases are truly the same. That said, there are a few things you can do to try and aid your family or friends who you believe are potentially suffering.
- Reach out – One of the main signs of potential mental illness is withdrawing from social activity. Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends and family in a time of your, or their, need. A simple phone call can go a long way when it comes to those who are suffering in silence.
- Look for signs – Not all depression is visible on the surface and not all of those who are suffering will freely show it, but there are a few signs you can look out for which point towards depression or other mental illness. Social contact is a big factor. If you suddenly stop hearing from a friend who was always socially active, there is a good chance they are struggling and could use a helping hand. Our diets tend to suffer when in depression, if a friend or loved one suddenly starts losing weight or not enjoying the snacks they used to love, check in on them to ensure they are doing okay. Mood is another big factor. Those who are depressed may lash out unexpectedly through no fault of their own. Try and remain composed and help wherever possible.
- Break the stigma – Mental health and suffering from mental issues still holds a negative stigma in Africa, which we need to break. Talk to your loved ones and reassure them that it is okay. Acceptance is a one of the biggest factors in seeking out help.
Medical intervention may be required in a lot of cases of mental illness. Don’t be afraid to try and seek out the help that you or a loved one may need.