…Time again to improve mental health for the good of all
Time is here again for us to celebrate and rekindle our commitment to protect and improve mental health for the good of us all. The theme for this year is “make mental health and well-being a global priority”. Most times, when we mention mental illness or challenge, people try to bind, reject, wish it out, that is not their portion or is not what is affecting them or their loved ones. They prefer to claim stress, family problems, spiritual attack as the challenge they are experiencing. But the fact is that mental health challenge is a reality. According to WHO, before the Covid pandemic in 2019 an estimated one in eight people globally were living with a mental disorder and estimates put the rise in both anxiety and depressive disorders at more than 25% during the first year of the pandemic. In addition, we have so many other factors constantly threatening our mental health like terrorism, insecurity, unemployment, poverty, economic challenges, political instability, family discord, abuse of all kind, stigma, tribalism, wars, discrimination, conflict etc. This implies that anyone could be affected at one point or another. As a result, all hands should be on deck to protect and improve each other’s sanity or mental wellbeing.
We can achieve this by:
• Creating awareness and educating one another about the facts about mental health, so as to demystify it.
• Show empathy, help and support people that are struggling with their mental health.
• Governments, profit and non-profit organisations can help make mental health services available and closer to the communities, especially in primary health cares.
• Schools should be mindful and put structures in place to support and improve their students’ mental health.
• Employers at every stage should organise periodic programs, and trainings on different aspects of mental health for their employees and support any of them that are struggling.
• Religious leaders should be trained on ways to identify and differentiate mental health challenges from spiritual issues, the help available for each disorder and to refer for professional intervention.
When we all play our parts, we can collectively achieve a world in which mental health is valued, promoted and protected; where everyone has an equal opportunity to enjoy mental health and to exercise their human rights; and where everyone can access the mental health care they need.
Happy World Mental Health Day!
• Uche Okafor, a Clinical Psychologist writes from Lagos.
