Nigeria conceptualization of mental illness and the World Health Organization’s definition
Nigeria social and cultural theorem, construction and made belief perception of mental illness is a fundamental erroneous hypothesis. Average of Nigeria population considered mental illness as a curse inflicted on an individual as punishment, while some believe is madness, which has led to stigmatisation and this assumption is predominantly wrong.
According to World Health Organization, Mental health is an individual balance, psychological well-being and the capacity to deal with developmental improvement in a satisfactory emotions; it is non-appearance of mental illness, therefore granting an individual the ability to make positive impact in the society.
Affirmative mental health comprises: enthusiastic sentiments, vigorous discernment, dynamic thinking, and capability to cope with life demands, capacity to function well in the society. However, people with good mental health need to adopt measures to maintain it abstain absolutely from contributing risk factors.
Mental ill-health is difficulties in carrying out one’s daily demands, it affects person’s mental measurements and inability to make appropriate decisions, which usually lead to reliance on family, friends and carers for cognitive support “cognitive is mental ability to perceive, learn, think, take decisions understand and relate with the environment”. Mental ill-health includes: Stress, Psychosis & Schizophrenia Psychosis, Personality Disorder, Eating Disorders Anxiety disorders, Autism spectrum disorders, Bipolar disorders, Depression, Eating disorders, Obsessive-compulsive disorders, Post-traumatic stress disorders, Addiction and substance use disorders, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ETC
Mental illness is a disorder that affects brain mechanism, which causes imbalance emotions; SCIENTIST discovery acknowledged that mental disorder required treatment or therapy and mental health demand adequate maintenance, so as to prevent occurrence of mental illness.
2% in 5% people are facing mental illness problem, while 4% in 5% find it very difficult to maintain a good mental health in Nigeria, but due to the stigma attached, they are counteracts from seeking treatments and good life choices, which has denied millions of promising young ones the opportunity to solid life chances to plan ahead for their future, the ability to be productive and privileges to impart the society.
Please speak out if you have any concerns, your mental illness is not your decisions, but rather a disorder! Speak out, don’t die in silence! Everyone is battling with something, yours is not different in anyways, Seek help and treatment from professionals and for those close to them, please support your family and friends who are affected with the illness.
Seeking help from professional is exactly how we can begin to reduce mental illness predominance and also create an environment free from the mental illness risk factors; even though is still very difficult for many Nigerians to accept the existence of mental illness, let us continue to advocate and hopefully, we will reach larger populations, as well the government to at least be responsive to mental health care needs.
Speak out and don’t die in silence, stop mental illness foundation is here to give you the maximum support you demands.
