By Kate Halim

Recently, Mr Taiwo Obindo, President, Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), revealed that more than 60 million Nigerians are suffering from mental illnesses.

“Mental healthcare is in a sorry state given that we have more than 60 million Nigerians suffering from various mental illnesses and the fact that only about 10 per cent of them were able to access appropriate care. We are left with more than 90 per cent who are unable to access care and this group is called the treatment gap for mental illnesses.”

To some, his claims might be exaggerated. But psychologists, psychiatrists and other experts are quite assertive that not a few Nigerians are indeed suffering from some form of mental illness, even if they do not roam the roads in tattered shorts, picking trash from street to street.

Living with mental illness

Whenever Felix Gboko’s anxiety episodes start, he feels an intense adrenaline rush. He told Saturday Sun that whenever he starts getting worried about everything and brooding over things that probably won’t happen, he starts shaking.

According to him, he also starts stuttering, loses the ability to express himself well, snaps at anyone close to him at that time and he also becomes aggressive. He also said that his heart feels like it’s going to burst out of his chest. And then, when it subsides, he becomes exhausted. He revealed that suffering from an anxiety disorder is a constant roller coaster of mental exhaustion.

Gboko said: “I’ve been like this since I was a child and I never knew how bad it was until I talked about my childhood experiences. I realised that I was suffering from an anxiety disorder when I met with a psychologist four years ago.”

The young man confessed that he is not managing well with anxiety disorder and has lost good opportunities to better his life because of his mental condition. “I go through periods where I feel okay with it but if something unexpected happens, I’m back to struggling. I just feel like my anxiety is so deeply ingrained in me. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like to not suffer from it every single day.”

Gboko, a digital marketer, revealed that he has lost jobs and relationships because of his mental illness. He recalled that sometimes, the only thought in his head is to end it all. “When I think about how different my life would have been with my illness, I sigh. Why do I have to suffer this way? Why is living every day so hard? Why can’t I just be like other people?”

Doris Edem said she was 16 when she had a breakdown in class after a rough night at home. She recalled that her teacher then was nice to her instead of scolding her as her mother did at home. “It was the first time that someone had really sat me down and asked me how I was doing. It was the first time I heard the words depression and anxiety,” she said.

Edem stated that her depression made her want to sleep all the time but her anxious thoughts were too loud. She noted that being depressed took her motivation to do things, especially going to the university while her anxiety berated her for not trying hard enough. She said that her depressed thoughts made her feel like her family and friends were better off without her but her anxiety made her scared of being alone.

Edem said: “After a while, I became numb. I felt like a lost cause because my parents used every opportunity to tell me that something was wrong with me. They didn’t understand what I was going through and I didn’t know how to explain to them how much battle I fight in my head and in my mind. Things continued like this for me until I left the university in 2019.”

Today, as an event planner based in Lagos, Edem confessed that she uses her business to cover up her mental health illness. She added that years after trying different medications and meditation therapy, her journey to recovery was finding people who understood what she was feeling because they had lived it.

She said: “I’m grateful to have found mental health professionals who I connect with. They have played a big role in my recovery and I still see them regularly. My family is trying to understand more about mental health but I wished they listened to me back then instead of calling me names.”

Describing his mental illness, David Onyekwelu said that depression eats you up from the inside out. He stated that it is like a monster inside his head that takes over his whole being even though his family and friends were doing all they could to help him.

“I have good people in my life, yet I still felt so lonely. Anything they say to me, I manage to turn into a bad thing. I would come home and feel so exhausted from all of the voices in my head that I would just sleep to block it all out. I didn’t want to wake up because living was a nightmare,” he added. 

Onyekwelu said he feels sick with fear at night time because that’s when the voices in his head get louder. He said he would get frustrated because it seemed impossible to sleep as if insomnia and depression go hand in hand. He stated that he has been suffering from depression for over five years and he doesn’t see an end to his illness.

Onyekwelu said: “I know that I need help to overcome everything I am feeling, but asking for it makes me feel like a burden. I want to be free from taking my medications, meeting new therapists and my constant negative thoughts. I feel as if I have lost myself and won’t ever be the same again. I have no motivation to do anything because I don’t see a future for myself.”

Looking back, Onyekwelu revealed that his anxiety caused him to believe everyone was faking their love for him. He added that hearing the words cheer up was the worst thing anyone said to him whenever he feels depressed. He said that those two words trigger negative thoughts in his head and he beats himself up for not hiding how he feels from family and friends. 

At the moment, the businessman said that he relies on medication, which he is grateful to have because they have helped him live an almost normal life. But at the same time, he noted that he wished he could be free from them without the fear that he might relapse.

“The scariest thing about my recovery process is that the only person who can truly help me is me. I have learned to change my thought processes and stop bullying myself. Even though it’s a habit that’s been hard to break, I know I’ve made some positive changes in my life,” he said.

Chidera Ochuagu is a content creator who is suffering from depression. She said that last year, her depression got so bad that things escalated in her life. “I used to feel irritated but it became worse last year. That was also when I knew that my mood swings weren’t just mood swings, and there was more to them.”

Ochuagu, who hails from Imo State, told Saturday Sun that she went for therapy but stopped after a few months due to money constraints. She added that since she can’t afford quality therapy right now, she is trying her best to be happy and to stay good by doing meditation. Even though coping with depression has been so much struggle, she said that it feels good that she is not dead yet.

The young woman confessed that she would have killed herself if she didn’t have the support of her partner and friend. “My partner has been my greatest help for many months now. My friend took me in when depression first hit me hard, I was with her for one week. She fed me and stayed with me, and that made me feel so much better.

“For many months now, it has been my partner who is my support when I hit the roof and rock bottom. It’s been so hellish, still. I would probably have killed myself if I didn’t have these people,” she stated.

For Ochuagu, a typical day is filled with so many emotions. She said her day is full of tears, sadness, anger, anxiety, frustration, and irritability for no tangible reason. She said that her typical days are definitely not what anyone wants to experience.

Even though living every day is like fighting a constant battle, Ochuagu said she doesn’t think she is different from other people. She said she thinks the world is crazy and almost everyone is crazy too. “I think people also have their own mental battles although the level of intensity might be different and so many of us are just struggling to stay alive and survive.”

How mental illnesses affect Nigerians – Mental health experts

Dr Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri, a psychiatrist and mental health advocate told Saturday Sun that the recent statistic that 60 million Nigerians are mentally unstable is true. She added that this is because one out of four people will have a mental problem in their lifetime.

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Kadiri noted that it is not a rare occurrence that many people might have a mental illness, but this does not mean that they must suffer from one. She said: “It means that there is a reason later in life that you may have a mental illness, because you may lose a loved one, have financial crises, go through relationship problems or marriage issues, or you may have work-related issues.”

She added that people shouldn’t forget that when they were a child, there are certain things which may have happened that were not within their control, such as parents’ divorce, death of one or both parents, domestic violence in the home, sexual abuse or violent history as well as having a mental history within one’s family.

Kadiri stated that this is why the World Health Organization (WHO) said that one in every eight people in the world will have a mental illness, and Nigeria is not left out of this figure. She said that Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in the world, with a population of more than 200 million people, so the number of people suffering from mental illnesses will be high.

A clinical psychologist, Adetoun Owolabi said that mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions which include disorders that affect one’s mood, thinking and behaviour. She added that examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviour.

Owolabi said that many people have mental health concerns from time to time, but a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when on-going signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect the person’s ability to function and live well.

Owolabi said: “A mental illness can make you miserable and can cause problems in your daily life, such as at school or work or in relationships. In most cases, symptoms can be managed with a combination of medications and talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy.”

According to Owolabi who has spent seven years treating people in this field, signs and symptoms of mental illness can vary, depending on the disorder, circumstances and other factors. She added that mental illness symptoms could affect people’s emotions, thoughts and behaviour.

The mother of two outlined the symptoms of mental illness and they include excessive fears, worries or extreme feelings of guilt, severe mood swings, sadness, withdrawal from friends and social activities, confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate, sex drive changes, as well as significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping.

“Other symptoms are inability to cope with daily stress or problems, detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations, trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people, problems with alcohol or drug use, major changes in eating habits, excessive anger, hostility or violence, and suicidal thoughts.”

Owolabi noted that sometimes, symptoms of a mental health disorder can appear as physical problems, such as stomach pain, back pain, headaches, or other unexplained body aches and pains.

Owolabi counselled that if someone has any signs or symptoms of a mental illness, they should see a mental health professional. She added that most mental illnesses don’t improve on their own, and if untreated, a mental illness may get worse over time and can cause serious problems.

Owolabi said that if your loved one shows signs of mental illness, you should have an open and honest discussion with the person about your concerns. She said that even though you may not be able to force someone to get professional care, you could offer encouragement and support.

“You can also help your friend or loved one find a qualified mental health professional and book an appointment for them. If you have the time, you can go with the person for the first appointment. If your loved one has done self-harm or is considering doing so, take the person to the hospital because it is an emergency situation,” she counselled.

Mr Alfred Ojo, a consultant psychiatrist said that mental illnesses are caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors which include inherited traits. Explaining further, he said that mental illness is more common in people whose blood relatives also have a mental illness. He added that specific genes may increase one’s risk of developing a mental illness, and the person’s life situation may trigger it.

The professional with over ten years experience said that brain chemicals can lead to mental illness. “Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that carry signals to other parts of your brain and body. When the neural networks involving these chemicals are impaired, the function of nerve receptors and nerve systems change, leading to depression and other emotional disorders.”

Speaking further, Ojo mentioned some of the factors that may increase one’s risk of developing a mental illness, and they include a history of mental illness in a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling, stressful life situations, such as financial problems, a loved one’s death or divorce, traumatic experiences such as a violent relationship or assault, having few friends or a few healthy relationships.

“Other factors that may increase a person’s risk of having a mental illness are an on-going (chronic) medical condition, use of alcohol or recreational drugs, brain damage as a result of a serious injury also known as traumatic brain injury as a result of a violent blow to the head, and a childhood history of abuse or neglect,” Ojo said.

According to Ojo, mental illness can begin at any age, from childhood through later adult years. But he noted that in most cases, they begin earlier in life. He said that the effects of mental illness can be temporary or long-lasting and one person can have more than one mental health disorder at the same time.

Shedding light on the complications of mental illness, Ojo stated that it is a leading cause of disability. He added that untreated mental illness can cause severe emotional, behavioural and physical health problems.

He added that complications sometimes linked to mental illness include unhappiness and decreased enjoyment of life, family conflicts, relationship difficulties, social isolation, problems with tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, legal and financial problems as well as poverty and homelessness.

In addition, Ojo said that other complications can include missed work or school, or other problems related to work or school, self-harm and harm to others, including suicide or homicide, weakened immune system, heart disease and other medical conditions.

Controlling mental illness

The psychiatrist told Saturday Sun that there’s no sure way to prevent mental illness. However, he added that if you have a mental illness, taking steps to control stress, increase your resilience and boost low self-esteem might help keep your symptoms under control.

Ojo said that people could take some steps to help control their mental illness. He noted that one of the ways to do that is to pay attention to warning signs by working with your therapist to learn what triggers your symptoms.

“Make a plan so that you know what to do if your symptoms return. Contact your therapist if you notice any changes in symptoms or how you feel. Consider involving family members or friends to watch out for warning signs too,” he said.

Ojo said that people who suffer from mental illness shouldn’t neglect their regular check-ups or skip visits to their doctor especially if they aren’t feeling well. He added that if one suddenly develops a new health problem that needs to be treated, the person might be experiencing side effects of medication and that should be taken care of immediately.

According to Ojo, when it comes to treating mental illness, people should get professional help when they need it. He said this is because mental health conditions can be hard to treat if one waits until the symptoms get worse. He added that long-term maintenance treatment also might help prevent a relapse of symptoms.

He said that it is important for people to take care of themselves if they are suffering from any kind of mental illness, noting that sufficient sleep, healthy eating and regular physical activity are important.

“People should stop going to churches and tying up mentally ill people. This will aggravate their condition. Anyone with a mental health condition needs good food, adequate rest, a peaceful environment as well as moderate exercise to keep their minds at rest,” he stated.