More Nigerians prone to mental illnesses due to economic difficulties – Mental health professional
According to Dr. Taiwo Obindo, a consultant psychiatrist, certain Nigerians may be more vulnerable to mental health issues as a result of the obvious difficulties in the nation.
The claim was made by Obindo in an interview with journalists; he is also the president of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN).
He warned that more Nigerians may suffer from mental illness as a result of the country’s present economic crisis, high poverty rate, and other social variables.
He enumerated a number of societal variables, such as an exorbitant cost of living, abduction, economic woes, inflation, rape, domestic violence, traumatic events, and varying degrees of violence.
During this time of great economic hardship, Obindo argued, those whose mental health was already compromised were even more likely to experience a worsening of their condition.
He claims that cultural factors in Nigerian society increase the prevalence of mental illness.
Many Nigerians, according to Obindo, are struggling with poverty, which may put them at a higher risk for mental health issues. He named poverty as a major cause of mental disease.
Several individuals need mental examination due to the catastrophic impacts of inflation, poverty, insurgent attacks, insecurity, and other national social crises.
Citizens’ mental health is suffering as a result of the social crisis, even if some people may be unaware that they are being exposed to mental health disorders.
There is little question that the scenario has contributed to a rise in the incidence of mental health issues.
His argument was that Americans are more likely to suffer from mental illness than people from other cultures when comparing the severity of societal crises and sufferings.
Victims of rape and kidnapping endure extreme trauma, he said, and this has a negative impact on their psychological well-being.
Obindo stated that stress and depression were significant risk factors for mental disease, citing WHO statistics that indicated at least 64 million Nigerians suffered from depression.
He went on to say that one in four Nigerians would experience mental health challenges at some point in their lives, citing data from the World Health Organisation.
The shortage of mental health professionals and resources, including psychologists, psychiatric nurses, and psychiatrists, is exacerbating the problem, he claims.
The psychiatrist was upset that mental health professionals had left the country in droves.
There is a severe shortage of trained psychiatrists in Nigeria, and studies reveal that 25% of the population may have a mental health issue at some point in their lives.
“The country is losing its mental health facilities and workers, and what little is left is being drawn abroad,” he lamented.