It's not only the mad
people who wander the streets dressed in rags, talking to themselves, that have
mental health issues. People will be surprised to learn that a lot of seemingly
healthy and sane people have mental health issues.
Mental health problems
covers a very wide spectrum ranging from the clinically insane ( 'were' or
mad-man) who roam our streets, to those who were born with mental disorders and
disabilities and finally to the closet mental health sufferers.
It's the last group,
the closet-mental-health-sufferers, that I want to address here for they are
the ones who are most at risk and are either not aware of it or don't think
it's a problem. These are the people who suffer from depression, anxiety, panic
attacks etc. Left un-checked it can lead to hypertension or the individual
developing suicidal thoughts.
According to the
Commonwealth Health organisation the most commonly diagnosed mental illness in
Africa is mood disorders caused by a number of things.
There are a lot of
things that can cause an individual's mental health to deteriorate rapidly: the
current economic climate with all the uncertainty, peer and family pressure and
undisclosed personal problems.
According to
Professor Taiwo Lateef-Shiek, the
Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Kaduna, 80% of
Nigerians with mental health problems don't seek proper help: they are more
likely to go running to their pastors or babalawos or keep quiet about it. The
recent rise in the number of people taking their own lives is a clear
indication of this. If there is more awareness people won't be stigmatised and
ashamed to seek help or commit suicide.
In the Western world
there are periodic campaigns to alert people to the dangers of concealing a
mental health problem – it can happen to anyone! Hollywood giants like the late
Tony Scott and Robin Williams committed suicide after years of suffering from
depression. And in the UK, recently, the Royal Princes Harry and William openly
talked about their battle with depression following the death of their mother,
Princess Diana, in 1997.
In Africa, shame and
the thought of being stigmatised prevents people from talking about their
mental health problems until it is too late. Remember it can happen to anyone
and any number of worldly problems can cause a person to lose the plot and go
mad.
There is no shame in
going to see a qualified practitioner (-definitely not your Pastor!) and
discussing your problems. Sometimes all it takes is therapy, pills or a change
in direction in life to clear your head. If you keep it to yourself hoping
it'll go away you're wrong! It'll only keep on building up and up till one day
you'll explode (- or implode)
Society also has a role
to play in this – stop stigmatising people who have mental problems! You see
'were' or a mad-person on the street and start laughing at them, abusing them
because they happen to be in the unfortunate position of not being able to
control their faculties. Do you know what led to them losing their minds and
ending up mad on the streets? You don't know! It could be a catalogue of
problems ( - or a man-made curse!) that finally pushed them over the edge. At
the end of the day they are somebody's brother, sister, uncle or mother. Show
some empathy!
People with mental
health problems just don't develop it overnight: it starts off gradually. Signs
to look out for are erratic behaviour, loss of interest in things and aloofness,
mood swings and uncontrollable emotional outbursts. If the problem is dealt
with in its infancy the patient has a good chance of a full recovery.
In the absence of a
comprehensive mental health care system we have to look out for each other;
sometimes all it takes is a shoulder to cry upon, someone to talk to.
And to the charlatan-
pastors out there – you can't cure every mental health sufferer out there with
your brand of prayer sessions and God-knows-what: you're not a qualified
psychiatrist who specialises in these matters.
And if you have a
mental health problem don't hide away in shame- seek help! Your very life and
well-being might depend on it!
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